


Bride of Hatake

by mandapandabug



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, BAMF Umino Iruka, Bad Demons, F/M, Good Demons, Kidnapping, M/M, New Folklore, Sexual Coercion, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Virgin Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:01:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 44,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29281905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandapandabug/pseuds/mandapandabug
Summary: Is Iruka the only non-child virgin in the whole village?!The Bride of the Demon Hatake died unexpectedly and Konohagakure needs a virginal replacement. It is quite possibly the worst timing for such an event, as their village and the neighboring Otogakure are in war and they need to make sure their Demon protector is still latched to the village and happy. Iruka isn't about to just sit around and watch any of the children get married off to a Demon, though! Acting fast, he decides he will sacrifice himself to this arrangement. However, his quick temper and skittish attitude gets himself and his village in very hot water. Will he be able to save the day or is all lost?
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 50
Kudos: 146
Collections: Naruto AU Week 2021





	1. Death of the Bride

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 1 warnings:  
> Only hints of a child bride. It is short lived, so not actually happening, but warning given!

The mourning bells chimed over Konohagakure. The melancholy tune rang over the village as the sun started to peak above the horizon. These bells were special, they belonged to Temple of Hatake. It could only mean one thing. The Bride was died.

The village was in chaos, war with the neighboring Otogakure had demolished much of the infrastructure surrounding the village and they lost many young lives to the battles. Luckily, they had a 3 months cease-fire treaty, freshly signed, that allowed both sides time to regroup, patch up their villages, and tend the wounded. No one really believed that lasting peace would be achieved by the treaty, but they did feel safe for a couple mouths at least.

The news of the death of the Bride rocked the village. So many of the youth had died or had left for the safety of the far-off countryside, especially the younger women. The two villages were only a day march from each other with only a river separating them, but their countryside extended well away from one another. It meant that, even with her walls and soldiers, the village was constantly under threat.

The continual threat of invasion or attack made those who stayed in the village feel like it was more of a prison. With the recently signed treaty almost all the people who could fled their cells to travel again and stretch their legs.

The only ones left in the village to hear the tolling bells were the soldiers just returning from the fields to help with the reconstruction, the government officials, the war orphans, and those taking care of them all.

Iruka Umino normally loved the sound of the bells from the different Temples. They chimed sweetly, announcing the hour or the begin of special festivals. It was the only sweet sound left over the village since the war began. He was only 10 years old when the fighting started. The first battle had been a surprise attack by Otogakure, one that saw many innocent lives lost.

His parents were among those lost. Iruka would have been lost then too, orphaned suddenly when the whole world seemed to be crumbling down around him. However, he was saved by a man with silver hair, who picked him up out of the rubble and carried him to safety in the Temple of Hatake. There were other children already there hiding, and they said they never saw a man with Iruka when he came stumbling in bleeding from a fresh facial wound.

Over the years, Iruka chalked it up to a wild imagination and left his memories of that horrible night to sit in the inner recesses of his mind; only surfacing in his night terrors. He never told anyone as he aged about his savior.

Luckily, another grey-haired man came to the young orphan’s rescue. Hiruzen Sarutobi was the retired village Leader and headed the academy within the village in his retirement. The first battle saw the death of the new young Leader, thrusting Hiruzen back into his previous role.

He despised having to take up that mantel again and would often wonder back to the academy and visit the orphans and luckier children trying to maintain some normalcy in the walls of their classroom. He was a teacher at heart. He noticed Iruka having a hard time adjusting to the orphanage and took the boy under his wing, giving him private tutoring session and often including him in family dinners.

Iruka always believed it was Hiruzen’s gentle heart that made him into the man he was today. He just turned 18, and he swelled with pride knowing that he was the youngest teacher at the academy. Hiruzen was proud of him as well, happy the boy took more to teaching than to fighting in battles.

Iruka was known in the village as the bleeding heart. He helped everyone he could. He had only moved out of the orphanage a year earlier, at 17, and came by almost every day still to check on the youngsters he grew up tending to. He poured his heart and soul into teaching and caring for his students at the academy as well. He knew many didn’t get to see their father’s -as they were off in battles or already dead- so he tried to be a good male role-model for them.

Iruka was also known in the village for wearing his emotions on his sleeve. He was an easy crier, and his passionate yells when the children did something dangerous or wrong could be heard throughout the village. One particular orphan, Naruto, always pushed Iruka’s buttons. He knew exactly how to get under Iruka’s skin since they had grown up together. It would not be considered a normal day if one didn’t hear Iruka yell “NARUTO!!!!” at the top of his lungs at least once.

What Iruka didn’t know was that the village also called him “the most ineligible bachelor”. He was completely unaware of his effect on those around him. Being kind and good with children was normally enough to get a man some positive attention from the women in the village, but Iruka was also incredibly handsome and seemed completely oblivious to that fact. He never understood when someone was flirting with him and no one knew if he had ever even gone on a date with anyone, thus the ineligible title.

He was a cute kid and he grew into a handsome man, everyone agreed Iruka would be a catch. He had tanned skin, like bronze, and had passionate, yet kind deep-brown eyes. He always wore his dark brown hair in a high ponytail, showing off his long neck and strong jawline. Iruka himself thought he wasn’t particularly attractive due to the large scar bisecting his face right across his nose. The scar was a result of some fallen debris on the night of that first attack. It reminded him of the worst day of his life and so he hated seeing his own reflection. No one else seemed to mind the mark. Many would go so far as to say it added another very attractive element to the young man.

But Iruka was oblivious to their talk, never showing anyone interest and brushing off compliments with some self-deprecating humor. His friends, men and women, were always very confused by the burnet. None of them knew how to help their friend romantically, and it seemed like he didn’t really want any, so they left it. They had just barely accepted that Iruka would never contribute to their rumor mill. He was always so focused on his schooling, and so they reluctantly accepted that his only love would be teaching.

It was just 8 years after the war started, and Iruka was finally officially a teacher with his own classroom. Some of the orphans he grew up with were in his class, Naruto being one. They were young, just 8 or 9 years old. They had known nothing but this war-torn world. Iruka wished he could give them more stability and love but knew even he had his limits. He would at least help them learn the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, home-economics, and self-defense.

He wanted his students to grow up to a different world. One without fighting, where the only trouble they had to deal with was what to make for dinner. It was a pipedream, but it was one he shared with Hiruzen. He knew that his Leader would try to find a way to make peace.

Iruka had never heard the mourning bells before. The Bride was old, but not so old that the village should expect her death. It made the day unique, and Iruka wished he were listening to the sweeter bells that normally rang in the morning. He wasn’t sure what was going to come from this death. He would ask Hiruzen later today at their Wednesday evening tea date if he could help in any way.

In the meantime, Iruka had a duty to fulfill. It was Thursday and that meant today’s lesson had a heavy emphasis on self-defense.

Iruka enjoyed the lesson plan today, even Naruto was able to focus on the martial arts lesson presented by Captain Gai. He was an amazing hand-to-hand combatant, tall, muscular with shiny black hair in a bowl cut and a strong jaw with a cleft chin. Iruka often called on him when he was in town to help on self-defense days. Iruka was amazed by his patience with the students; he would make a great sensei. He didn’t even get mad when Naruto called him “bushiest brow Captain”, after his caterpillar like eyebrows. Iruka, however, did get mad and yelled at Naruto for a good 10 minutes about respecting his elders and superiors.

Iruka was finally making his way to Hiruzen’s office after classes, excited for the delicious tea and chess match, when he noticed a former student from his days as an assistant walk by. She was dressed up very nicely in a silk dress. It seemed strange for the 14-year-old to be in a dress that looked so much like that of a bride. Young marriages weren’t normal in the village, most people waited until 18 to marry, even the women. It was what attracted many settlers to the village to begin with. Woman were treated much better in Konohagakure than in other villages. Or so Iruka heard. He had never visited other lands, so he didn’t have much reference.

Iruka shook the train of thought from his mind, knocked and was beckoned in by his Leader. Iruka was very comfortable in this office, and though he bowed low, he also slumped down into the seat across from the old man, who was setting up his chess board, tea steeping next to him.

Iruka waited just the right amount of time before pouring them both nice, steaming cups of tea from the pot. Hiruzen looked a little distracted. He switched the King and the Queen pieces. It was most unusual.

“Is there something the matter, Hiruzen-sama?” Iruka asked, using his first name, but always the formal title. Most of the village addressed him that way. He preferred Hiruzen-sensei, but he was the leader again and tradition called for the former title.

“Well, Iruka, I don’t want to burden you, but you must have heard the bells this morning,” the old man began while fixing the pieces. “The Bride has passed, and we need to select a new one as soon as possible. We need to have the wedding the day after tomorrow in fact. It’s too short of notice to get any potential women back from the country. And it is hard enough to make sure they are still a virgin.” Iruka blushed at the word.

“The only young lady we could get was Ten-Ten.” Iruka’s eyes widened dramatically. It was the girl he had seen in the street in those silks. That was Ten-Ten. She had looked miserable, like she would cry at any moment. He remembered Ten-Ten was a feisty student and a great fighter. It seemed cruel to put such a young person in this position.

“What?! Is there not any other option? She’s too young!” Iruka exclaimed. Hiruzen nodded in agreement, meeting Iruka’s eyes for the first time.

“The rules are as they are. The Bride must be replaced within 48 hours, with a new virgin who is within 19 years of life.” Hiruzen recited it like he had just checked the books. He probably had. It had been a long 40 years since the last Bride was wed, and even though Hiruzen was at the ceremony, an apprentice to the Leader, he probably didn’t remember all the details by heart.

“We were not prepared for her to pass so suddenly. Her heart just stopped.” Hiruzen wish he had had time to prepare for this, getting the ceremony together wouldn’t take too much time, but the Bride was too young and small to fit the traditional cloths. They were in a sad state indeed.

Iruka took deep calming breaths. He thought back to his students and their dreams. It was certainly not Ten-Ten’s dream to be married to the Demon and be bound to the village for life, unable to marry another. He knew the old Bride, she was sweet and would often come by the orphanage to mind the young ones, giving them longing, wistful looks.

Iruka had asked her once how it was being married to their Demon. She replied by sticking out her tongue, a strange tattoo was on the very back of it. She said it prevented her from talking about Demons directly, but she could say that she didn’t regret it and he was a good protector.

It was an ancient ritual, going back further than anyone really knew. The Demon was bound to help and protect the village as long as he was latched to a Bride within it. The village had been very prosperous and peaceful for almost all its history. The last 8 years were an anomaly. They needed the blessing and protection of the demon or they would surely fall under even harder times.

Iruka thought about what he could do. How could be help the children? They deserved peace; Ten-Ten didn’t deserve to have her life thrown away before she even knew herself. An idea formed.

“Does it have to be a woman?” Iruka ask, throwing Hiruzen for a loop.

“What are you asking, Iruka?” Hiruzen looked right into his eyes as he asked. Iruka needed to think carefully about what he wanted to say.

“Well, I fit into all the categories required for the Bride,” Iruka began blushing at the fact that he hadn’t even kissed anyone, let alone… “I don’t plan on getting married or having my own children. I also never planned on leaving the village.” Iruka was fibbing slightly at that. He did enjoy leaving the immediate village boarder on errands occasionally or to just walk the surrounding forests, but he didn’t care enough about that to ruin Ten-Ten’s future.

Hiruzen probably knew Iruka’s true reasoning for his offer. He stared at Iruka with a calculating eye. He raised this boy to be caring and thoughtful and self-sacrificing. Of course, he would react this way. Hiruzen felt like he should never have mentioned any of it to the young man.

Hizuzen sighed, “I don’t know if it is a rule, Iruka, but they are called the Bride.”

“But maybe that’s just conjecture!” Iruka argued. “Let me do some research, I can read about the ceremony in the old tomes. I want to do this. Let me help her.” Iruka looked at Hiruzen, pleading. The old man’s resolve crumbled. Iruka was a man now. He could make decisions on his own.

“I’ll show you the documents, but I warn you, I’m not sure the council will be behind this.”

Iruka beamed, knowing Hiruzen was on his side. They abandoned the untouched chess board and made their way to the library, tea left to chill.

The scrolls for the ceremony were already out and open on the desks. Hiruzen and Iruka got to work, picking through the words more carefully.

“You are correct that they don’t mention gender or the word Bride even. They simply say wedding ceremony and refer to the demon as a him. It is in a very ancient style of writing, almost another language entirely, though, so most people translate the other role to Bride.” Hiruzen said with some reservation. He didn’t want Ten-Ten to have to marry the Demon, but he also didn’t like the idea of Iruka taking her place.

Iruka was busy looking at the list of all the Brides (he decided he would call them Partners now as he was determined to join their ranks) stopping at one from 250 years ago. 

“Look at this Hiruzen-sama!” Iruka brought the scroll over to his Leader, pointing at the name. “Gekkō Hayate. That seems like a male name doesn’t it?” Iruka said, giddy almost. “And if I recall, there was a short war around that time? That ended only a few months after the ceremony with this Hayate?”

Hiruzen looked at the scroll and the dates carefully. Iruka really remembered his history, it made Hiruzen swell with pride and sadness. Iruka was right. The council could be convinced that the last male Bride had ended a war, so they should try again.

Hiruzen looked at Iruka’s bright smile and his heart cracked in his chest. This precious boy was about to sacrifice his chances at love and a family forever. “Iruka, are you sure about this? You don’t have to go through with it. We can find another male even with this knowledge.”

Iruka interrupted him, “you’re going to find a virginal male who isn’t a child, but not over 19, and is willing to marry our Demon by tomorrow?” Iruka’s incredulous face made Hiruzen laugh and broke his heart equally.

“Well, at least one good thing will come of this,” Hiruzen began, Iruka tilted his head in anticipation, “you will be kept safe in the village and won’t be able to miss our tea times.”

Iruka laughed at that. It really didn’t seem so bad at all.


	2. Dress Rehearsal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 2 warnings:  
> DRAG and mentions of Ten-Ten being the back-up child bride. Again, it doesn't come to pass, so take the warning as need be...

It was awful. Why did he think this would be simple?!

Iruka had had a very uneventful Thursday up until 22:00. It was the day after his conversation with Hiruzen and he knew the dam would break soon. He tried to forget about it all as best he could, his students made a great distraction.

The lesson today was about how useful common plants were for medicinal purposes and for consumption. He even took them out to the yard to pick some dandelions. The children were delightfully eager when he had them all prepare a nice salad for lunch with their collected flowers, eyes wide with excitement that they were eating something they just picked off the ground.

In true Naruto fashion, he stated that he wished the flower were more orange than yellow, and bit the head right off, instead of putting the petals in the salad as instructed. Iruka just laughed at his antics and made him have a dandelion-less salad, saying that was punishment enough for not listening to instructions.

The boy gave an adorably confused look, wondering what he was really missing out on, as he hadn’t really liked the taste when he bit the flower. The other students all seemed to understand Iruka’s meaning and pretended that the salad was the most delicious thing they had ever tasted because of those flower petals. Naruto simply glared at his salad; upset he was missing something so great.

Iruka had a smile on his face all day remembering their mischievous little faces. After all the students went home, he was cleaning up the bowls when his colleague and oldest friend, Mizuki, walked in.

Iruka didn’t have a lot of people he would consider a friend. There were a couple he met in the academy that he kept in touch with. Mizuki and he had formed a strong friendship after the attack. Iruka was grateful there was someone who didn’t look at him with pity, and he clung to Mizuki for that reason. Shizune was the only other he would consider a friend from his days in the academy, she had lost both her parents too, so they always had a silent understanding.

He tried not to think about it, but he also knew that he trusted Mizuki because his light grey hair reminded him of the mysterious figure that had saved him from the flames of his collapsing home all those years ago.

“I heard the weirdest thing from my great aunt,” Mizuki began, bringing up his relative who was on the council of elders glibly. “I had lunch with her today and she was saying that they picked a Bride for Hatake this morning. Apparently Hiruzen convinced them thoroughly it should be you.”

Iruka bristled at the informal address for their Leader, Mizuki was always unceremonious and casual in front of Iruka, even though he knew it bothered him.

“Hiruzen-sama was against the idea at first, but you wouldn’t believe who they were going to send instead! I had to step in.” Iruka didn’t look up from his washing. He hadn’t thought about the deal all day so far and thinking about it now made a knot twist in his stomach. Why? He was sure of his choice. He smoothed his expression and continued scrapping the dried seeds off one of the bowls with his fingernail.

“I’d heard it was going to be that Ten-Ten girl. What’s wrong with that Iruka? She’s like the only option.” Mizuki said it so simply.

Iruka gapped at his friend, almost breaking the bowl when it slipped from his fingers, finally turning to face the light-haired man. “What? How can you say that? She’s barely 14… she’s still a child! That’s insane to give her to a Demon as a Bride. What if she wants a family one day? What if she wants more than what’s within these village walls? She deserves freedom.”

“Oh, and you don’t?” Mizuki said it like a challenge. He was glaring lightly at Iruka and he didn’t know why. Normally they discussed the stupid things their students did and would be laughing easily by now. “Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew you were being offered as a sacrifice. Seems like you made this huge life decision without asking your best friend his opinion.”

“Mizuki,” Iruka gave Mizuki a soft look, not liking being called a sacrifice, but understanding his friend’s attitude. Mizuki just felt a little ignored. Well, to be fair Iruka didn’t think at all about Mizuki’s feeling when he made his decision. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think this would change anything about our relationship. Will it? I didn’t think it would cause me to lose said best friend.” Iruka smiled brightly, hoping his thoughts were correct.

Mizuki gave his signature lopsided smile back at Iruka. “Well, it confirmed my suspicions about your virginity at least.”

Iruka’s jaw hit the floor, smile sapped immediately from his face. Mizuki sure knew how to push his buttons. “Jeez, Mizuki, you know me well enough to know these sorts of things, I suppose, but now the whole village’ll know!” Iruka hadn’t thought about that. How embarrassing. Leave it to Mizuki to let him know of all the things he forgot to be embarrassed about.

“I knew you were a prude who blushed at just the word ‘intercourse’ and really blushed at the word ‘fuck’,” Iruka did indeed blush at these words and Mizuki laughed at Iruka’s predictable reaction.

“Mizuki! This is a school, please, you shouldn’t use those words…” Iruka looked around avoiding eye contact and trying to will his blush away.

This made Mizuki laugh even harder. “You know what happens to the Brides don’t you?” Mizuki stopped laughing at Iruka’s uncomfortable silence. “Do you really not know?”

“Well, I have an idea…” Iruka trailed off. He knew that the Partners were left in the temple, locked in, for days. They had all they needed to life comfortably, and they always left looking well according to the tomes he had browsed. They could never tell what had happened in that time though, as they all always left with that strange tattoo on their tongues.

“Oh, you have an idea, do you?” Mizuki got really close to Iruka as he said that, leaning over him as Iruka pressed himself against the edge of the sink as far as possible. Mizuki reached out a hand to brush some hair that got loose from Iruka’s ponytail behind his ear.

“Mizuki, please,” Iruka said as he slapped his friend’s hand away, stepping to the side and out of the oppressive space putting some feet between them again.

“Well, you better get over that aversion to closeness you have Iruka. I doubt that a Demon will have much regard for it.” Mizuki said as he walked out the door in a huff.

Iruka tried to calm his heart. Mizuki was right of course. After his parent’s death, and his beginning days at the orphanage, he just got use to not being touched, especially by adults. It made him feel strange when the grown-ups entered his personal space, and it still felt strange now when his peers did; a fact that Mizuki constantly took advantage of to fluster him. That man was incorrigible.

Iruka thought about his agreement in a totally different light now. He would be alone in a temple… with a Demon? What would that entail? He started to get nervous as he finished cleaning and left to go cool down and make dinner at his apartment. 

A messenger knocked at exactly 22:00 telling him to go to the council room immediately.

It took all of 14 minutes for the whole idea of what was about to happen to him to crash through his psyche.

The second he stepped into the room he was surrounded by people. They took his hair down, they took his measurements, and an older woman, handed him a scroll. She was regal, tall with blonde hair and huge breasts. She never lowered her chin as she walked or spoke. It was Tsunade of the Senju. She was a very prominent member of the council, second only to Hiruzen himself.

While the tailor told the surrounding people that he would fit into the gowns, and they all started discussing something or another, Iruka opened the scroll.

“Iruka-sensei,” he looked up at the address, very much liking the sound of it. It was Tsunade. “We will do a fitting tonight, think of it as a rehearsal.” He nodded looking back to the scroll and reading.

He immediately started to blush, heat rising from his toes all the way out of the top of his head. He snapped the scroll shut. “Why did you give me this smut?!” Iruka looked at the proud woman, aghast.

“Well, we know it won’t be exactly right for two men, but it is tradition to give to the Bride. We don’t want the virgin to go in without any prior knowledge.”

That actually sounded very thoughtful of them. Iruka took a calming breath and opened the scroll back up. He hadn’t really thought about what would happen in the temple until Mizuki opened his big mouth. He only thought about after, about how nothing would really be different. Was that true? What was going to happen in the Temple?! He was starting to freak out as he saw the drawing of a woman sitting on the hips of a man, and the notes on the side of how you should roll your hips in a certain manner in this position.

Iruka couldn’t handle it. He rolled the document back up and turned to Tsunade 

“I think I’ll just save this for the privacy of my own home…” Iruka put the scroll down by the door.

Tsunade nodded, “return it tomorrow before the ceremony. And don’t ruin it.” She was clearly hiding her smile at his discomfort behind her hand.

He was brought to another room where there was a hairdresser and a chair. Iruka was instructed to sit in the chair and the stylist started to pull his hair into braids and clips in an elaborate twist that he would never have been able to do himself. 

She put a putty-like substance in his hair as she worked, and it felt strange and made his hair very shiny and stiff. She left two strands of hair alluringly curling around to frame his face. Other than the scar across his face, he thought he must look rather fetching. 

He looked over when another stylist came over and started to paint his face. She added rouge to his cheeks and his lips. She painted kohl on his top lid. The hair and paint stylists discussed something that that was apparently above Iruka’s paygrade since they didn’t bother consulting him.

Shizune walked in then and Iruka blushed at his friend seeing him like this. Iruka knew she was Tsunade’s apprentice so he shouldn’t have been surprised by her presence, and she was kind to Iruka, so he shouldn’t be embarrassed. She was carrying a very large trunk. From the trunk, she pulled out an elaborate wedding robe. It was gold in the tradition of the village, with hints of red threading. 

Iruka thought it looked lovely but didn’t really want to wear it. “Is all this necessary?” It was the first thing he said since the scroll incident.

“Of course!” Tsunade, who seemed to be the head of this operation, spoke up. “We need to make sure our Demon is pleased with our sacrifice.” Iruka did not like being called a sacrifice and this was the second time. His expression must have showed the displeasure, as the woman’s face softened marginally.

“This is the tradition, Iruka-sensei,” Iruka softened too at the use of his official title. He was no longer just some young nobody. “You need to follow our instructions. We don’t want to upset the Demon, after all we need him on our side when the cease fire ends, and the treaty fails; a male Bride is already a strange risk!”

“Lady Tsunade, the last time there was war, a male Partner brought an end to the fighting, so… Don’t worry about that,” Iruka finished lamely. Shizune looked at him calculating and admirably. She probably knew the real reason he volunteered as he knew the reason she couldn’t.

“Just get in the dress please. We need to make sure everything’s in order now, as the ceremony begins tomorrow at sunset and alterations will take time,” Tsunade deadpanned.

Iruka didn’t argue as she waved Shizune forward. Iruka was instructed to disrobe, and he did so, trying not to show his embarrassment. He was young and fit, he had nothing to be embarrassed about! Besides, he knew every woman in here had probably seen a man in his underwear before.

He still blushed under the rouge. The make-up artist looked at his natural color and made a comment that she would try and match it better with her colors for tomorrow.

Shizune made no indication she cared either way about his feelings or his coloring and went to work, smiling at her friend. She swiftly wrapped Iruka in the silky layers. There were so many layers.

“Men tend to like peeling a woman to nothing.” Tsunade smirked and the other women in the room nodded, some gigging. Iruka blushed much harder at the implication but didn’t move as Shizune was pinning the robes in place. She looked at him with sympathy, knowing Iruka better than the others did.

After Shizune stepped back to admire her work, Hiruzen, and his son Asuma strode in, his official robes billowing at his entrance. Asuma saw Iruka standing there, officially dolled up, and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Iruka?” Asuma’s mouth opened so wide his hand-rolled cigarette fell to the floor.

Iruka groaned and turned his head to the floor, covering his face with his hand. Said hand was grabbed by another assistant and a gold band was pushed onto his wrist.

Why was Asuma there? Iruka knew that he was back from the frontlines, where he was the General of the army, but why did he have to be here. Iruka had missed Asuma while he had been in the field. Since Iruka could remember he knew the imposing figure of the Leader’s son, who was four years his senior. He was tall for his age at every age of his life, and handsome with thick short black hair. He had recently grown out a well-maintained chin-strap bread, which was surprisingly fitting on his face.

When his father had taken Iruka under his wing, Asuma bristled at the small scarred boy, but they had warmed up to one another eventually. Asuma mostly liked having someone to poke fun at, but what initially impressed him was that Iruka would talk back to his father, and his father wouldn’t do anything to punish him. It was strange, but the confidence that Iruka displayed is what had initially gained the boy his respect.

Iruka enjoyed the banter with Asuma most. He felt comfortable with Asuma in a way he didn’t with many other’s around his age, even Mizuki. Asuma knew when to drop things that upset him whereas Mizuki would just keep digging.

“Well, this may just work, eh son?” Hiruzen said, elbowing Asuma, snapping his mouth shut.

“Hiruzen-sama, please, stop embarrassing me! I don’t know what I look like, but this is too much. Tell them, this is unnecessary!” Iruka was out of his mind with embarrassment that his mentor and his pseudo older brother were seeing him dolled up like a bride from hundreds of years ago.

“Come now, Iruka,” Asuma had gained himself again, teasing Iruka was a natural state to him after all. “The gold looks great with your skin tone.” Asuma’s smile was traitorous and Iruka decided he will never forgive the man. He glared for all he was worth.

“Ah, so it really is you under all that, Iruka.” Hiruzen said, and Iruka dropped his head again in a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, Iruka, but this is part of the ceremony and we need to follow it to the tee. The council only agreed if we didn’t change any part. They are worried about angering Hatake-sama.”

Iruka sighed again, looking up this time as if trying to appeal to a higher power, ignoring the irony that soon he would be married to their higher power. He understood, but it was hard. He wasn’t a woman, and he didn’t really like all this. He certainly didn’t like all the fanfare. He hated attention more than anything else. He supposed he wouldn’t have minded dressing up or getting his hair done or the make-up, if people weren’t staring at him.

“I think Iruka makes a lovely Bride actually. He has a great face shape and his lips are very pouty naturally. The rouge only adds to their natural appeal.” Tsunade reported it to Hiruzen like it was a mission! Iruka was so embarrassed. Asuma was snickering at him.

“Excellent, so you believe this will work?” Hiruzen asked the Lady. She simply nodded, smiling gently at Iruka. His face was going to explode.

“We will be ready for tomorrow. You will use this pillow and sleep on your back so as to not mess up your hair.” She handed Iruka a uncomfortable looking wooden block with a small amount of padding on the top. “And you will be allowed to wash your face, as the artist implied, she will have to remake the color for your rouge. It was off.” She said that as she gently caressed Iruka’s cheek.

“You are doing a great service to your village, Iruka-sensei. Don’t let these men make you feel lesser for your duty.” She stood incredibly straight backed, prideful, but not arrogantly. He felt like he would follow her into a battle if he had to. She was graceful and powerful looking, not brittle or demure in the least.

Iruka felt some of her pride transfer to him, and he stood up straighter in the layers of fine silk and held his head up. He looked her right in her eyes, only a little lower than his own, and nodded sharply. She smiled up at him, grabbed his chin, and tilted his head at all different angles.

“This.” She said as he positioned him at an angle. “This is how you should first look at your groom. This is your best angle.” Iruka tried to hold very still, remembering the way he was positioned. His chin was angled slightly downward and to the left a little.

He decided to test it. He turned his body, not ruining the position of his neck and face, toward Asuma. He blinked his eyes up at Asuma, trying to purse his lips slightly as well, “Well, do you agree, Asuma-saaaan?”

Asuma blushed. He actually blushed! Iruka tried to hide his mirth behind a demure hand, playing up the femininity. Asuma just blushed harder at his small hidden smile. Maybe he could do this!

The women laughed at Iruka’s antics. “You’re a natural. Next time use the fan,” Tsunade said and handed Iruka a gilded lace fan. It was beautiful. Iruka opened it with a flourish, twisting it with his wrist and bringing it up over his mouth like he saw the ladies in the dances do. He looked over the fan at Asuma again.

“I’m leaving right now.” Asuma said and immediately turned on his heel and high tailed it out of there. Clearly, he had only come to see a show. Well, Iruka was all too happy he could oblige him, feeling like he had the upper hand this time, even though embarrassment was still weighing on his chest.

Hiruzen laughed bodily. “You really are adaptable aren’t you, Iruka?” He then turned serious as he approached the young man, resting his hands on his shoulders. “Are you sure you want to do this? This is the last time I will be able to ask, and we may be able to do something about it.”

Iruka looked at the fan, at the proud women who had dressed him, and at the scroll by the door. He imaged Ten-Ten, or some other child he had taught, in the same position. It was the easiest choice he had ever made. “I’m sure.”


	3. The Procession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 3 warnings:  
> DRAG and worrying about having to have sex for the first time?

Iruka slept horribly. The pillow was so uncomfortable it wasn’t even slightly funny, and worst yet, he ran into Mizuki on his way home after the fitting. He was in the elaborate hairstyle and full face of makeup, but luckily not in the silks.

Mizuki did a double take and the face he made as Iruka ran past him back home was imprinted on Iruka’s brain. It was the weirdest mixture of highly amused and something else. Something Iruka didn’t want to dwell on but had felt heavy.

Iruka slept badly. He blamed it on the fact that he had read the sex-scroll. He really shouldn’t have read the sex-scroll.

He really, really should not have read the sex scroll. He could barely get past the first couple positions, but that was enough to keep him awake and shifty all night.

He couldn’t stop trying to figure out how he would adapt all that to his own anatomy. He was already nervous enough with this being his first time even kissing. How would he be able to do this!? He was freaking out.

Tsunade’s voice kept coming back to him, saying how he was doing a great service to the village. He felt like a whore. No, no, no. He shouldn’t think that way! He was actually going to be married to the Demon Hatake. It wasn’t that the Demon’s protected the village in exchange for the sex, or so it seemed. He did find it a little comforting to think of the whole event as a business transaction. He rolled his eyes as his brain brought him right back to feeling like a whore.

Iruka had so many questions about his soon to be husband. What would he look like? Would Iruka even be able to see him for it all? Did the Brides ever get to see him again after their time in the Temple? Iruka wondered and his mind raced. It would be weird, to never see your husband ever again, wouldn’t it?

Iruka never thought about getting married before. He rarely thought about sex even. He always focused on his studies. What else was there? Now he wondered why. When the other guys talked about how hot their female classmates were, Iruka just nodded along. He could tell when the girls were cute or not of course, he wasn’t blind. But he never got any of those stirring feelings the other guys talked about.

There was one time. He hated to think back on it, as embarrassing as it was, but one time when he was 16, only 2 years ago, he felt something. He had felt what he imagined the guys were referring to, like a butterfly was flapping its wings in his lower abdomen. It happened when he was walking with Shizune’s on-again-off-again boyfriend and Asuma’s friend and Lieutenant, Genma to a party. They were just walking, talking about nothing special when suddenly Genma crouched down and picked two flowers from the ground.

He held one out to Iruka. He didn’t say anything, he just looked right into Iruka’s eyes and held the flower under his nose. Iruka grabbed it, his fingers grazing over Genma’s as the flower passed hands. That was it. Just that gaze, the flower, and the graze of fingertips. Suddenly Iruka blushed and butterflies fluttered in his belly.

Genma asked him if the flower was nice enough and smelt good because he wanted to give one to Shizune; they were in an off-again phase he wanted to change. That broke the spell for Iruka, and he was back to normal, looking at his friend again with regular eyes.

Iruka supposed he never really gave much thought to seeing if he would get that feeling from other men. He chalked it all up to a fluke with Genma, but now that he was going to have to be with a man, he thought he should have explored his own feelings more.

Iruka groaned again, why was he thinking of this now? The sun was just poking above the horizon and he was dead tired still; he was out of time. He was going to be married by the end of the day and he would have to deal with what happened next. His anxiety was palpable

\--

Even though it was a Friday, he didn’t have to teach; he couldn’t imagine having to with his hair up in elaborate pins. The academy was closed for the wedding. In fact, the whole village had off and was buzzing with excitement. He had washed off that morning, cleaning off the make-up as best he could, some kohl stayed around his eyes he suspected, but he didn’t want to ask anyone to confirm, and there were no mirrors in the communal bathroom for the building. He was sure the artist and stylist would fix whatever they had to.

He made his way back to the council building early, as he was instructed to. The team was all there. The ceremony wasn’t for 8 more hours, and yet, everyone was there. Iruka was not prepared for what was to come next.

They bedizened him. It was slower this time, they were making sure everything was perfect. This was no rehearsal. The hair was fastest, taking just a little touch-up here and there. The bigger accoutrements would be going in after he was finished with all the other parts.

Next was make-up. The artist showed him the new color, and he could only smile at her, nodding his approval. He didn’t know what color he blushed, so how would he know if it looked good. The more he sat there getting gussied up, the more nervous he got.

He was a wreck by the time the silks were all pinned, and the hair stylist was putting some very lovely, large ornaments in his hair. It was getting heavy, and he wondered at how strong women’s necks must be. He was given gold necklaces, so many and so heavy he almost hunched, and bangles for his wrists and ankles. They were going to also have him wear some rings, but they wouldn’t fit on his fingers.

They said this morning that they would get the bands adjusted, at least the band that he was going to have to wear for the rest of his life. Iruka’s stomach had dropped at that. Of course, he would have to wear a band for the rest of his life. What else had he expected?

The local jeweler was called in earlier that morning and he took measurements of Iruka’s fingers and rushed off, promising at least the one ring would be ready by the afternoon.

Iruka was wringing his hands together as the last of the hair jewelry was placed. “Now, you must walk with calm grace. Hold your head high and your back straight.” Tsunade instructed, noticing him slouching with the weight of the gold. She said this was to help him not ruin the decorations on his head. Iruka suspected it was also to make him feel more confident.

The jeweler was back as promised by the late afternoon. The man looked twice up and down Iruka’s form. This morning when he left, Iruka was just getting his hair fixed. Now he was primped and polished to the full extent of the village.

“Too bad about the scar. Otherwise, you would be the perfect Bride.” The man commented as he fit the ring easily on Iruka’s finger. The man had been able to re-size two of the rings. One was placed on his right-hand index finger. This ring had the insignia of the village, a swirl pattern on a single leaf, in tiny emeralds. It was lovely. The other ring was a plain gold band. The jeweler tested it fit his left ring finger but took it off right immediately after. He gave the ring to Tsunade and left.

“Pay him no attention, Iruka, you look perfect. The scar shows your strength and I think Hatake-sama will appreciate that.” Tsunade was smiling at him. He didn’t expect the praise from the Lady. Shizune had told him that the Lady was known to be harsh and direct, not easy to pull kind words out of.

“It’s OK, Lady Tsunade,” Iruka began, “I know that I am damaged goods.” He laughed. Tsunade did not laugh with him. “Seriously, it’s OK. I know it is an ugly thing, and I should really give a lot of credit to the make-up artist for making me look presentable.”

Tsunade sighed. What a hopeless child. She knew he was an orphan and didn’t have any family to bolster his self-esteem. It was sad, how many children were left without one or both of their parents because of this war. She knew that despite his hardships, Iruka was a good teacher and a good role model to the young ones. She was secretly happy that this ceremony would mean he would never be drafted to war and could remain in the village tending to his flock.

She nodded at Iruka. “You are as ready as you’ll ever be. Come now, we must start the procession.” Tsunade helped Iruka slip on some sandals, and she took his arm, guiding him out of the building.

There was a beautiful palanquin outside. It was open-doored with gilded arches reaching up and over in a cross pattern, from opposite corner to opposite corner. The arches had swirling patterns all over them. It looked like an artistic rendering of the leaf symbol. It was beautiful.

All around the road was a crowd of people. Iruka felt Tsunade move one hand to his back, forcing him to straighten his spine and it all clicked. He immediately fixed his posture. He couldn’t take all the eyes though; they were staring at him. At least a hundred of his fellow villagers were watching him all at once.

He took out the fan with a shaky hand and covered the lower part of his face at least. This was too much attention. He felt like he was going to faint. Tsunade must have sensed it, because she brought her hand to his elbow and called Shizune over to Iruka’s other side to hold that arm as well.

Together, they assisted Iruka to the palanquin and helped him get inside. He had to sit with his legs folded under him. He hoped this wouldn’t be a long trip. He realized he hadn’t eaten anything all day and barely had any water. No wonder he was feeling so lightheaded.

The highest-ranking officers took the four corner posts to carry Iruka. Gai and Asuma took positions at the front two planks, while Raidō and Genma were at the back. With the cease fire treaty in place, most of the unattached men had returned to the village. It was customary for the brothers and uncles of the Bride to carry her to the temple, but Iruka was an orphan with no living family. They chose instead to honor him by making the highest-ranking military men do the honor. It was just an added bonus that he was friendly with them all.

Asuma gave Iruka a sour look at having to don his formal uniform and perform manual labor. Gai seemed ecstatic, smiling brightly at Iruka as he settled into the pillow. Genma and Raidō kept averting their gaze, clearly uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.

“I really wish you would have laid off the ramen before this.” Asuma whispered to him. Iruka laughed, his tension breaking a little with the familiarity. Genma and Raidō laughed too, shouldering their planks with the others.

“Iruka-sensei,” Gai was sparkly eyed as he turned his head to look at Iruka while he spoke, he held his section of the palanquin like it weighed nothing at all, just a feather over his shoulder. “You do a great honor to the village by your sacrifice. You look like a stunning Bride, and Hatake-sama will be a lucky one indeed to get to call you his. What a wonderful day.” Gai was trying really hard to hold back his tears.

Iruka got that feeling again. That one in his stomach as he took in Gai’s compliments. “Thank you, Captain Gai.” Iruka couldn’t look at the man holding him up anymore, so he turned his head. He didn’t want to look at the swarms of people crowding the streets either. It was all too much, so he looked at the road ahead and tried to meditate.

About half-way to the temple, when they were passing by the orphanage, Iruka heard his name being yelled by one very loud blond. His trance was broken.

“IRUKA!!!” Naruto yelled it, even though he was just there on the side of the road. Iruka looked over at his fellow orphan, and saw not just Naruto, but many of the other members of his class. They were all staring at him with wide glossy eyes. Naruto’s jaw was on the floor. He started to follow the palanquin in it’s slow amble down the road to the Temple of Hatake.

“Iruka! You look pretty, like a girl.” Naruto said it boldly and all the men except Gai laughed loudly. Iruka blushed hotly.

“Thank you, Naruto, I’ll take that as a compliment as I’m sure you meant it,” Iruka glared at Naruto.

“Yeah, sure, if you want to be a pretty girl, you succeeded!” Naruto smiled at his teacher and former orphanage roommate. Iruka melted at Naruto’s innocent smile. Maybe he would one day understand what Iruka was doing. Maybe. The kid was dense though.

Iruka corrected his posture and tried to embody Tsunade as he looked over at Naruto. He wanted the boy to see strength here, not just a pretty girl, but how strong women in general had to be.

“If dressing as a pretty girl lets me command strong men to carry me around, then dress as pretty girl I will.” He used his fan to tap Asuma on his shoulder and said, “yip, yip, faster boys! We will be late!”

Naruto laughed as Iruka winked at him. Asuma groaned at being compared to a horse, but he could take it. Iruka was doing them a great service after all, they needed to remember that.

Asuma did pick up the pace slightly, the Temple was coming into view anyway, and the faster they arrived, the faster they could drop their annoying load. They had to take the long way to the Temple, since it was part of the ceremony and his shoulder was getting a little sore.

When they arrived, Iruka noticed a whole other crew of people that were putting the finishing touches on the ceremony space. There were flowers and ribbons decorating the outside of the Temple. It looked all very… garish. Iruka liked flowers and all, but it was a bit much. The temple was unassuming and surrounded by tall pines, stone grey the only coloring, but dramatic gothic arches adorned the front and sides.

The men dropped the palanquin, almost knocking Iruka right off his seat in the process. Luckily, Gai was quick and grabbed his arm before he fell. He didn’t think his hair stylist would be very pleased if he bit it on the gravel path before the Temple.

“I’m very sorry, Iruka! We should have been more careful.” Gai said it and looked right into Iruka’s eyes as he released his grip on his arm, and then held out his hand to help Iruka stand.

Iruka’s stomach fluttered again as he grabbed Gai’s hand. Maybe it was nice, polite words that gave Iruka the feeling. That sounded nice. He let Gai help him out of the palanquin and when he felt his legs wobble under him from lack of blood flow, he also accepted Gai’s arm. Asuma appeared on Iruka’s other side, and Iruka grabbed his arm as well. Tsunade had told him Asuma was going to be playing the role of his brother, and Hiruzen himself agreed to be his father.

Iruka tried not to get teary eyed at the thought.

Gai and Asuma led Iruka into the Temple, inside was set up in a very interesting manner. He had never personally been to a wedding ceremony, so he wasn’t sure what was involved, but this looked like it was set up as an apartment. A fancy apartment, but an apartment none the less.

Normally the Temple of Hatake was just one very large empty hall with two flanking large connecting rooms. Iruka thought from above it must look like a giant T. There were some smaller rooms shooting off the hall and the connecting rooms. Iruka knew one door led to a basement full of scrolls. He had never personally been in there though. He had only ever been in the main hall for religious events and during attacks as a child and with the children when he was older.

Now there was a low table and four cushions surrounding it halfway down the hall. There were a couple chairs placed behind the cushions on either side as well.

Off further into the temple in the large space to the left, Iruka could see an elaborate futon set up with drapery and large pillows. He sucked in a breath thinking about what was expected of him again. He almost forgot with the parade and all the eyes on him.

He tried to distract himself by looking elsewhere. On the other side of the table, there was a whole supply of food. Mostly dried fruits, nuts, crackers and wafers. There was also a ramen bowl, covered and sitting with the other foods. He assumed that would be for dinner tonight, since it would go bad if he left it any longer.

“This is happening. This is really happening.” Iruka whispered trying not to freak out. It was very hard not to, seeing all the pieces here. Food for long term lodging in the Temple, the bed… Iruka couldn’t stop his eyes from wondering back to it whenever he tried to look away.

“Iruka, you are so strong. Just remember why you agreed to this, it was noble of you. You won’t change much, I’m sure I’ll get my little brother back in one piece.” Asuma said it without looking at Iruka.

Iruka blinked back his tears at the kind words. Asuma called him little brother. He was playing the brother role, but it was so nice to hear. “Thank you, big brother.” Iruka said it softly, trying not to let the waver he felt in this whole body out through his voice.

Gai clenched his arm, clearly failing at holding back his tears at the exchange. How did this gentle beast of a man survive on the battlefield?

Iruka looked behind him, Gemna and Raidō were stationed at the door, like sentinels. Maybe they were going to be the guards. He wasn’t going to come out of this Temple for days. He looked past the doors and outside. How was it already dusk? Iruka’s heart sank with the sun.

This was it.


	4. The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 4 warnings:  
> Scared Iruka? No real warnings here.  
> The ceremony has elements from my own wedding ceremony incorporated! I thought it fit perfectly in the theme and was excited to draw from experience.

Hiruzen was seated to his right. Words were being said. All Iruka could do was breath, like he was caught in a raging storm in the ocean and his head was barely being held above the water. Hiruzen felt like his lifesaver. Asuma was seated right behind him in a chair and Tsunade was next to Asuma, directly behind Hiruzen.

Diagonally and across from Iruka was a Sage of Hatake, the highest ranked one, who maintained the Temple and grounds. He was repeating mantras and evoking the good will and grace of the Demon. He was praying this communion would latch the Demon to the village through the vessel of the Bride (‘Partner’, Iruka wished he could correct).

The man was older, with his white hair Iruka thought he must have been Hiruzen’s age, but his face looked closer to Tsunade.

Next to the Sage was Gai. They made quite a pair. Iruka was sitting ramrod straight, the decorations in his hair were difficult enough that he couldn’t really look down or up. He made eye contact with Gai, who would give him encouraging smiles and a thumbs up. Iruka would normally be amused at his incredible shiny teeth and silly face, but his good humor fled his body when he entered the Temple.

The priest was addressing Iruka. He was asking for his Mother and Father’s names. Iruka couldn’t think. Hiruzen nudged him, trying to wake him up from whatever daze he was in. “Kohari and Ikkaku” Iruka whispered, trying not to recall the last time he saw them. Blinking hard and taking a deep breath.

“And who gives you away?” The Sage looked at his Leader, who he clearly knew, but it was ceremony.

“Hiruzen Sarutobi,” Iruka said it with more force. He was comfortable with Hiruzen. He was there for Iruka and he had good memories with the man.

The Sage, Iruka remembered his name was Jiraiya, stood, moving to a small alcove of the Temple and bringing out a shallow bowl. Iruka noticed how tall the man was for the first time. Iruka also noticed for the first time a growth (Iruka hoped it wasn’t a wart) on the left side of his nose. Otherwise, he was handsome with a deep voice. He had paint on his face, two red lines like tear-tracks from his eyes down to his chin. Iruka recalled that he always had those on, so it wasn’t to do with the ceremony now.

Iruka wondered if the Sage did that because of duty, or if he just liked the look. Other Sages didn’t have the lines.

Iruka was not focusing enough for Jiraiya’s taste, he looked expectantly at Iruka, still sitting by the table. “I repeat, please bring the matches.”

Iruka looked embarrassed and picked up the sticks, allowing Asuma to help him stand up. The silks were very difficult, but at least he was not required to wear any shoes. His toes felt cool against the marble stone floors as he walked over to the priest and the bowl, a couple feet away from the tables.

The priest handed Iruka some dry leaves and small sticks and asked him to place them in the shallow golden bowl. He then took some oil, pulled Iruka’s free hand over the bowl, palm up, and poured the oil into his hand. Jiraiya poured too much oil, and it spilled over his slightly cupped hand into the bowl. 

Jiraiya dipped his finger into the shallow pool of oil in Iruka’s palm and smeared it on Iruka’s lips. The touch startled Iruka and he gasped as the Sage’s hand move back to the oil in Iruka’s hand, twirling his finger around before tilting Iruka’s hand so that the rest of the oil all fell into the bowl.

Jiraiya took a small clothe from his pocket and wiped Iruka’s hand. “Light a match and set this handkerchief on fire and place it in the bowl.” Iruka started to try and strike the match, a little shaky, but he thought he was holding up OK given the strangeness of the ritual.

“We show fire, the first element.” The Sage said it as Iruka lit the clothe on fire and watched the bowl light up with a surprisingly strong force give how little fuel was actually in there. Jiraiya nodded like it was a good sign.

“Hiruzen-sama, please bring the stones.” Hiruzen was suddenly next to Iruka, who was kneeling next to the bowl, mesmerized by the flames. “Iruka!” Iruka straightened suddenly. Jiraiya looked a little amused at the distractible young man.

“You need to walk around this flame 7 times, while holding these stones. With each round you make, drop one stone into the bowl with the fire.” Iruka nodded. That was simple enough. He could do that.

Hiruzen handed him the stones, they were small, and half felt more like dirt packed into a small nugget than a stone. He started to make the rounds, with each rock he tossed into the flame, it died slightly. Iruka was sad to see the warm, lively flicker get smaller.

As he walked, Jiraiya was chanting in a language Iruka didn’t know. The last stone was dropped and Iruka was done with his rounds. The fire was much smaller now. “We show earth, the second element.”

Jiraiya handed Iruka a leaf, it was from the ash tree by the academy. Iruka knew this because he was instructed to bring a leaf to the council for the ceremony. He decided to pick one from the tree that had the swing, the one he often saw Naruto on swaying and lonely, and the same one he sat on when he was little in the academy and lonely.

Jiraiya explained how the leaf symbolized his part in this marriage, as the village avatar. Jiraiya told Iruka to kiss the leaf and blow it into the flames. Iruka blushed, to kiss a leaf? He did as instructed, the print of his lips in rouge transferring to the veiny, green surface along with some of Jiraiya’s oil.

Iruka bent lower, almost like he was bowing on the ground, but with his head held upright, trying to make sure his hair pieces didn’t fall off into the fire. He held out his hand with the leaf and puckered his lips to blow it as controlled as possible, into the bowl. As the leaf got caught in the flame, Iruka caught a flicker over Jiraiya’s shoulder. There was a tuft of silver hair, he was sure of it. It made Iruka sit up fully and gasp slightly, but when he blinked it was gone.

Jiraiya smiled at Iruka. He seemed to know that Iruka saw something, and it pleased him. Iruka had seen that silver hair before. He was brought back again to the night the war began. A tear slipped down his cheek which he quickly wiped away. It made Jiraiya lose his smile, but he continued, “We show wind, the third element.”

Iruka thought that left only one more element, water. He was getting really tired and hungry now. He hoped that this all finished soon. He really needed to gather himself after the strange illusion.

Jiraiya handed Iruka a small tear shaped stone the size of his thumb pad. It was beautiful, pink and green. It reminded Iruka of his student, Sakura, with her pink hair and green eyes. He smiled thinking of his class; anything was better than his previous thoughts. Jiraiya told him to rub the stone in his hands vigorously and drop it into the flame as he started to recite more from his tomes.

The stone was only in the bowl for a minute when small sparks started to visualize at the bottom of the weak flame. Iruka gapped at the show. Suddenly there was a larger spark and the fire went out. Jiraiya reached in and grabbed the stone from the bowl, it was covered in ash, much more ash than should have been able to stick to the smooth surface. It was still sparking a little, and Iruka wondered if it didn’t hurt Jiraiya to hold it. Then Jiraiya took the stone and placed it against Iruka’s forehead, leaving a mark of ash on his skin. He repeated it with the other side of the stone on Iruka’s chest.

“We show lightening, the fourth element.” Jiraiya said as he handed Iruka the stone, still a little sooty.

He then told Iruka to reach into the bowl and collect the ring. Iruka looked shocked. His gold band was in this bowl? He didn’t notice it before. Maybe Jiraiya placed it there when he wasn’t looking.

Iruka reached into the bowl, it was hot, but not burningly so. He found the ring and hovered just above the bowl, ring in his palm. It was ashy and dirty. Jiraiya had Hiruzen pour water over Iruka’s hand, over the bowl, it washed the ring, the stone, and Iruka’s hand clean of the debris and smelt of sandalwood.

Iruka looked at the ring. This was not the same one that the smith had resized was it? He didn’t recall the imprint on the band, a small Leaf symbol, like the one that represented the village.

“Put the ring on, Iruka.” Jiraiya looked at Iruka very seriously. Iruka complied, it fit perfectly on his left ring finger. “We show water, the fifth element.”

Jiraiya started to roll his scrolls back up, he took the bowl away, storing it in the alcove again. When Iruka looked back, there were no more people in the room except Hiruzen, Tsunade, Jiraiya and himself.

Tsunade came up to him first, leading him to the bed in the back of the Temple. Iruka’s heart started to pound. What was happening now?

Tsunade started to remove his hair ornaments calmly breathing deeply next to him. Iruka unconsciously started to breathe deeply in time with her. It soothed him.

“I was here with Kiki all those years ago.” Tsunade began. Iruka looked confused for a moment, then realized Tsunade was talking about the previous Bride. Her name had been Kiki. Everyone just called her the Bride. Iruka realized that he would bear that title now. Would people call him Iruka still? Would people use his title he had worked so hard to achieve? Had Kiki had another title?

Tsunade continued, “She was nervous, but she wasn’t so young. She was 18, like you now. She wasn’t ignorant of what was to come. I tried to guide her as best I could, but I was her friend, not a wise elder.” Tsunade smiled at Iruka, clearly expecting him to think of her as a wise elder and not a friend. “We talked long before her ceremony, when she was first chosen at 16, so she could be prepared for her role. War made us sloppy on this transition. I apologize to you for that.”

“Lady Tsunade, you don’t need to apologize for anything. I decided to do this. I did. No one forced me. I’m an adult and I made this choice for my life and my village. I admit, I don’t know what to expect, but I know my duty, and will try to fulfill it.” Iruka replied as the woman started removing his necklaces and loosen some of his ties, just in case he had to get out of his outfit himself.

“Kiki always smiled when she remembered her time in the Temple. Other towns’ Brides seemed more afraid of their Temples. Kiki never seemed afraid,” Tsunade’s eye’s shone to Iruka. She seemed to really want Iruka to feel comfortable. It was nice.

He hugged the woman tightly, it shocked himself and Tsunade, but she patted his back gently in response.

Then Hiruzen and Jiraiya were there. Tsunade looked over at him again, quickly explaining that there were some clothes on the other side of the bed for him to change. There was a full washroom off of this room for him as well.

Jiraiya looked down at Iruka, still seated on the bed. “You will not be disturbed. There are guards posted and I will not be in the Temple. You will be alone, so to speak.” He bowed low. “We will take our leave, Bride.” Iruka looked shellshocked. It was real.

His eyes found Hiruzen’s. The old man sighed, breaking the eye-contact before saying, “good luck, Iruka. You have a good heart and you deserve more.” Hiruzen left it at that. He couldn’t insult a Demon in his own Temple, but his kind words left Iruka feeling warmer.

Iruka nodded, unable to speak. The three turned away from him, and Iruka watched them leave, his hair free of all clips and jewels, silks loose and some hanging off his frame. The door closed behind the leaders, and it felt like the sealing of a tomb.

The torchlight flickered around him. He realized now he didn’t know where more torches were. Maybe they told him, but his ears weren’t listening. Today was a blur, and he was truly alone. A tear fell down his cheek, silent as the marble around him.


	5. Meeting Your Demon Husband

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 5 Warnings:  
> Being awoken by an unasked for kiss... Also a Kakashi who doesn't understand how to seduce Iruka hahha

Iruka sat at the small table, eating his ramen. It was cold, but still delicious; clearly from his favorite stand, Ramen Ichiraku. He felt like he was eating his last meal, like those given to prisoners before their execution. 

He was alone though. There was no danger. There was no demon. There was no one.

His chopsticks echoed in the large mostly empty space of the Temple’s hall. It was the only noise other than his undignified slurping. Iruka wondered what his groom would think. He smiled and slurped louder. Maybe if he was completely unappealing, nothing would happen. He would get to go back to his life and the village would still be safe.

He was never so lucky, though. Right now, he was happy to be alone. He was used to eating alone and sleeping alone and living alone since he left the orphanage. He could do this.

Iruka finished his ramen and placed the empty bowl to the side. He was going to designate that area for trash to make it easier to clean up when whatever this is was over.

Iruka found a nice sleeping robe in the pile of clothes, it was mostly old-fashioned robes, no pants to be seen! How embarrassing. There wasn’t even underwear. Iruka blushed at that.

He decided to check out the washroom, clean up as much of his hair and make-up as he could, and try to get some sleep. This was an exhausting day after all.

The washroom had a small sink and two taps. He tried the hot one and almost immediately, warm water was coming out of it. The Temple must have access to the hot spring nearby. What luck! Iruka’s apartment wasn’t nearly so lucky, and Iruka often had to go to the spring’s baths if he wanted to bathe in warm water without using the communal furnace bath in the complex. It was gross and took forever to only get mildly hot.

Iruka looked up smiling and noticed there was an old, blotchy mirror above the sink. He looked at his painted face for the first time. He knew it was himself staring back, but he was so shocked at how beautiful he looked that he almost thought it was an illusion. He had rarely seen himself so clearly before, his apartment didn’t have a mirror. Like most people, he wasn’t rich enough to spend money on such a luxury item for himself either.

His fingers traced his scar, trying to forget the memories associated with the night he got the mark. His bleeding face was the last thing on his mind when his home was collapsing around him, and his parents’ bodies were trapped behind a wall of flames. He would forever bear this reminder of the worst day of his life.

The scar wasn’t all bad though. It had been a way to bond with Naruto. They both bore scars from that first attack that orphaned them. Naruto and he were the first ones brought into the orphanage after the battle. Naruto wouldn’t stop crying, his whisker like scars fresh and pink on his chubby cheeks. He only stopped crying when he saw Iruka’s face. His pudgy baby fingers would reach out to his scar and he would be blissfully silent.

As they aged, Naruto would stare at his scar and say, “Iruka, you are strong. I can be strong too!” Normally this was followed by Naruto doing something dangerous and Iruka yelling at him, but right now, as Iruka finished tracing his facial mark, he tried to feel as strong as Naruto saw him.

When Iruka blinked back to reality, he noticed the kohl had run with his tears down his cheeks. He looked a mess and very tired. He thought he should really get cleaned up.

Iruka washed as much as he could off his hair, face, and body, using soup and a bucket he found by the bath before he filled the tub for a soak. Iruka sighed, muscles melting into goo the second they hit the warm water. He thought that he should have brought a book or something to occupy his racing mind. Maybe there was something in the Temple he could read. He was thinking of where to look first when his half-closed eyes caught a flicker of that silver hair again. He tensed immediately and sat upright in the pool of water, looking around more closely.

There was no one. He was all alone. ‘It was just a reflection from the mirror,’ Iruka tried to tell himself, it almost worked. He relaxed back into the water.

After about 15 minutes or so, Iruka couldn’t keep his eyelids up, and was pruning. He decided to get out, drying off on a towel hanging by the bath.

He put on his sleeping robe and snuffed out almost all the torches, putting the matches close by in case he needed to relight them before dawn.

When all his preparations were complete, Iruka dove into the lavish bed. It was indeed very comfortable. The mattress was thin and firm, but there were a ton of fluffy, feather pillows that Iruka curled around. Being a part of the orphanage, Iruka had never experienced such luxury before. It felt good to be spoiled.

He tried not to think of the price he was going to have to pay for it all as he drifted off to a fitful sleep.

\--

Iruka woke to a stranger kissing him. His eyes bugged out and he pushed the man off him. The man pulled a mask of some sort over his lower face, hiding the smirk forming on his lips.

‘A masked man is in my bed, kissing me!’ Iruka slaps himself, hard, across the face to wake himself up fully. The man was still there, sitting on the bed next to him. How did this man get in here?! He was alone all night; he was sure of it. This must be some kind of invasion!

“Guards! There’s a…….” Iruka couldn’t finish the sentence. He was sure he yelled guards pretty loudly, but when he tried to explain that there was a man here who should not be, his tongue stopped moving. His throat constructed. It wasn’t painful, but it was not normal.

No movement came from the doors, but Iruka wasn’t even thinking about that anymore. He was staring at the man. He had silvery grey hair. It was the same spiky tendrils he had been spying all over the Temple yesterday, and the same that he recalled from the night of his parent’s death.

“You come here often?” The man said. His voice was deep, so incredibly deep! It snapped Iruka out of his stupor.

“Hatake-sama?” Iruka looked at what he thought was just a man but couldn’t be. Iruka couldn’t speak about the man to others. He suspected he had that same tattoo on his tongue that the old Bride had. It was all happening so fast. He was just dreaming and now he was marked. Branded forevermore.

“Oh, that is very formal, Hatake-sama was my father. Kakashi will do,” the Demon, Kakashi, said this in a manner like any of Iruka’s friends may have. What was happening? Demon’s having fathers. Was this a joke? “I assure you, Iruka-sensei, I am very serious.”

Iruka’s neck snapped up when the Demon called him by his title. How could this creature know? Iruka had to shake his head again, of course the Demon of the village would know. He knew all apparently. Iruka wasn’t very religious generally speaking, and he was really regretting that now.

“So, they finally sent someone who matched the original descriptions,” Kakashi said it as his eye traced Iruka’s face, like he was reading a novel.

“You prefer men?” Iruka asked unsure what the Demon meant.

“No, no, not that, though I appreciate what’s before me just fine.” The way Kakashi’s eyebrow wiggled almost made Iruka laugh, but the words were about him and it froze his heart at the same time. His good humor really had fled him when he entered the Temple.

“No, what I meant was someone pure of heart. Those sexist old priests always think the translation is to virgin. Too bad you won’t be able to tell them. I would accept the most lurid of whores (and probably would have a much better time too), as long as they were pure of heart.” Kakashi looked at Iruka’s shocked face. The Demon laughed at it.

The laugh woke something up in Iruka and he blushed hotly at the speech. “Well, I’m afraid I’m not a whore, and I don’t very much like… touch… And I’m known in the village as a bit of a hot head. So, I am not sure where you have the gall to pretend you know what’s in my heart and how ‘pure’ I am.”

Kakashi looked shocked. Who was the one with gall when Iruka was arguing with a deity? It excited Kakashi to have someone stand up to him, but it also riled him up. He was the Demon here!

Lightening started to spark around Kakashi, harmless as Kakashi knew it, Iruka’s eyes darted to the bolts with fear hidden behind his haughty boldness.

“I am the Demon of the Hatake line, the protectors of this village for centuries, and we know all about the village. You know nothing. You sit in your classroom trying to make life normal and happy for children who are likely going to become soldiers for no good cause and go to their deaths.” Kakashi came back to himself then. He realized what he said too late. He was supposed to be charming Iruka right now, and his complement of how good a teacher the man was had definitely come off wrong in his ire.

It was probably was a bad idea to mention his precious student’s dying as pawns. Iruka looked pissed.

“How dare you. I have put myself at your mercy here, so end the war.” Kakashi looked up at Iruka, head cocked to the side. Iruka felt like he won a small victory, the demon didn’t know everything it seemed. “Yes, I saw the last time a male was made Partner, it was during another war. After that union, the war ended. I am here to make sure my students and all the children won’t grow into soldiers. Even if it means being latched to you.”

Iruka sounded venomous. Was Kakashi sure this man was pure hearted? He sure had a bite to him.

“OK, calm down, maybe we got off on the wrong foot here.” Kakashi said it as he made to grab Iruka’s hand.

“Wrong foot?!” Iruka yelled and it echoed through the hall, his hand recoiling to his chest as he sat up fully.

“Yeah, Kiki was not this difficult, that’s for sure.” Kakashi fondly recalled that morning, lewd smirk making its way onto his lips.

Iruka had a vein throbbing on his forehead that looked dangerously close to popping. Kakashi was really putting his foot in his mouth right now.

“Sorry, that was a bad thing to say,” Kakashi started strongly. Iruka was breathing steadier now, that was a good sign. “I know better than to mention an old Partner to a new one.” Kakashi thought using the term Iruka had (instead of Bride) would give him some points.

It was deadly silent. Kakashi looked at Iruka’s face, it was strangely calm suddenly, but oh so cold. Was there a draft in here? He would have to get a warm wind stirring for when they were getting naked. Which would hopefully be soon.

Kakashi was distracted with his thoughts of the man in front of him naked. That was his excuse at least for when Iruka’s hand made a resounding smack in an open-handed slap across his face. Kakashi was in shock. Had any human ever seriously hit him before?

“You think I’m angry because you mentioned Kiki?! You condemn my kids to death, insult my profession, and woke me up with an unasked-for kiss, and you think I’m mad about Kiki?! You are certainly a Demon, Kakashi.”

Iruka huffed and stole out of the bed, heading to the washroom. He closed and locked the door behind him.

This was not going according to plan at all. This was completely abnormal. Kakashi was flabbergasted. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. Normally the Brides were more compliant. He knew that the kiss was a good one, but it was as if Iruka hadn’t even felt it. Maybe he should have kept his mask down.

What was the Demon to do? He had to consummate the marriage. Most of his “colleagues” wouldn’t really care about what their Brides wanted and would just take them. Kakashi didn’t like those Demons. He was a bit of a loner in the Demon community. Only a few were decent at heart, and the Hatake’s were known as one of the strongest lines with the happiest civilians. Except right now it seemed.

It was a bad time to have to have a transition like this. Orochimaru, the Demon of Otogakure was vying for his village. He originally had controlled Konohagakure long ago, along with some of the other small villages. They broke away as the villagers lost their loyalty and started Temples asking for other Demon’s protections. Kakashi’s father, Sakumo, had taken up the mantel for Konohagakure, seeing that the people trying to convert that village wanted to live in peace and raise children with love and without fighting and death.

They had defeated Orochimaru’s attempts to reclaim Konohagakure a couple times. The last time, Sakumo had been injured badly, and the village was near collapse. Sakumo couldn’t fight off Orochimaru in his state, so he killed himself, allowing the Bride oath to pass onto his next blood, Kakashi.

Kakashi never wanted to be the protector of the village, agreeing almost jokingly to the blood-bond with his father, the one that would let Kakashi inherit the village on his father’s death. He thought at least he would have many more centuries to his own, wondering and doing as he pleased. There was no way his father, one of the strongest Demon’s to have ever existed, would die. When Sakumo was injured and unable to hold off Orochimaru’s forces, he had to act. Kakashi was strong, and uninjured, and the strength that came with being a village’s Demon would allow Kakashi to fight off their neighbor. He knew his father did what was best for the village he cared for, it was noble, but stupid.

Kakashi found the Bride, a young man who introduced himself as Hayate, and explained the situation. Hayate was a good soldier and defended the village from within the boarder. Kakashi became friends with him easily. They never had to have sex to latch Kakashi to the village because of his blood oath to his father, so that helped.

Kakashi helped Konohagakure defeat Otogakure all those years ago and had injured Orochimaru grievously in the process. It appeared it took about 250 years for a Demon to heal from getting his arms ripped off and guts splayed open. Kakashi would remember that.

Now he was currently in a bit of a pickle. Well, Iruka was being prickly at least. Didn’t the elders warn him? Didn’t they make clear what Iruka’s role was to be in all this? The tomes had been translated poorly, Kakashi knew that at least. Maybe they didn’t fully understand what this bondage meant anymore? Kakashi hated paperwork, so he never bothered to correct or write anything for the Sages when he took over after his father. Maybe he should have. It never mattered before.

Either way, Iruka was locked in the washroom and Kakashi was the cause. He couldn’t really fault Iruka for being upset, Kakashi knew he goofed up the introduction, but to slap your Demon protector, that was bold. Kakashi almost liked it. He was a Demon after all, a little fight was a turn on for his kind. He was so use to the Brides’ acceptance of their fate, that he never really got any chase before.

He honestly liked Iruka. He had saved the boy from death during the first attack 8 years ago, unable to help his parents moments before. He knew Iruka could sense him then, which had intrigued Kakashi. No one could see him that wasn’t bound to silence by a Demon’s kiss. Somehow though, this boy knew he was present.

It was intriguing. Kakashi had kept an eye on the boy ever since. He watched him grow up, watched him become a teacher, watched him beg to be made Bride. Kakashi knew Iruka. The man was selfless, kind, and emotional.

How had he messed up so badly? He should have known not to say the things he did and not to push Iruka. He wasn’t a stalker, he didn’t know Iruka that well, but he knew better than this.

He couldn’t force himself on Iruka and he didn’t want to trick or coerce him into bed either. He needed to get Iruka to want to fulfill his role. He would find a way.


	6. A Couple's First Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 6 Warnings:  
> Mild domestic abuse that is very much nooot actually harming a Demon. Iruka's temper being frustrating to the reader...

Iruka splashed cold water on his face in an attempt to stop his stinging eyes and his hot flush. What in infuriating being that Kakashi was. Iruka had never felt so angry with another before. His anger with the kids, especially Naruto, was always short lived, just a moment where he lost his patience, tested so thoroughly as only children could. They were innocent and young and easily forgiven. This Demon was ancient and should know better.

Iruka looked into his reflection in the old cracked mirror. He could make out the kohl still clinging to his eyes, the only bits of make-up still left on his face. He wiped at the smudge of black that had trailed past his eyelids. He had to use the towel to wipe it away fully.

He looked pathetic. He felt pathetic. He had slapped his husband, an actual deity. What was he thinking?! Iruka knew he was emotional and often acted out of control, but that was unacceptable. He knew he had a duty as the Partner. He just had to suck it up. This was for the village. What if Kakashi stopped protecting them because of his actions? With the peace so tumultuous they couldn’t risk losing their Demon.

Iruka breathed in deep, long breaths. He would make nice. He could do this. He dealt with children every day. He could deal with this arrogant son-of-a-Demon.

Iruka nodded, straightened out his robe, and put his hair into his signature ponytail. He felt much more himself with his hair up. With one last breath, he left the washroom, head held high.

He noticed Kakashi sitting at the table. He had his mask down. Iruka got a look at the Demon’s face and it helped humanize the deity. His lips were pale as his skin, but shapely, he had a cocked smile that emphasized a beauty mark just below his mouth on the left. It surprised Iruka. He looked so human. Handsome, and human.

“Maa, hello again Iruka-sensei.” Iruka straightened up. He liked being called by his title. He worked hard for it. This was a better start. “I thought that you could use some breakfast! Maybe it was just a little too early for conversation before. Let’s just sit together.”

Iruka nodded. Food sounded nice. Kakashi was right, his stomach growled and they both smiled at the sound. The previous tension lightening slightly.

Iruka sat down cross-legged in front of the low table and started eating some of the fruit that was left for him. Kakashi brought out a bowl of oatmeal as well. Iruka wondered how the man had made that, but remembered this was a Demon, not a human, and could probably do many “magical” things.

“I wanted to apologize, Kakashi-sama.” Iruka started.

“Drop the title please, you are my Partner,” Kakashi interrupted, emphasizing the last word.

Iruka blushed looking into Kakashi’s eye. Iruka wondered if all demons covered the lower half of their face and why he had decided to expose it to Iruka now. Iruka also didn’t understand why one of his eyes was covered by a metal forehead protector. It was blank, too. Just a metal plate attached to a cloth covering his left eye like an eye patch.

“Anyway, Kakashi, I wanted to apologize for slapping you. I really don’t want my emotional reactions to damage the village. As you said, I don’t want the children to have to live in a world of war. We need you to protect us. I wish to appeal to you. Please don’t let my actions harm the village.” Iruka shifted to his knees and bowed, forehead touching the floor after his plea finished.

Kakashi was shocked. This was a turn. Bowing and such was not a good sign. He needed to seduce Iruka, not have him grovel. No one found groveling sexy…. Did they? Kakashi watched Iruka, his head still on the floor. It didn’t seem like this was some weird foreplay.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Iruka. I would never abandon the village. My father sacrificed himself for this village and I would do the same.” Kakashi admitted freely.

“Father? Demon’s have fathers? Demon’s can die?! I’m afraid we don’t teach religious texts in the academy, so I am very clueless as to your nature.” Iruka smiled shyly as he admitted his ignorance.

“Maa, sensei, you didn’t study at all about your groom?” Kakashi teased, loving the tint of color spreading across Iruka’s cheeks.

“I’m a good teacher, I was just happy to leave all this religious stuff to the Sages.”

“Oh please, Iruka, the Sages could use someone like you helping them. They have been miss-translating and the like for centuries. It doesn’t really matter though. The main message and the ceremonies have been done more or less correctly.”

“More or less?” Iruka asked, curious about how his long day yesterday could have been shortened.

“Yeah, they really put on a show, don’t they? The only necessary parts were the elements, to connect you more closely to the spiritual and natural realms. Oh, and the ring of course.”

Iruka’s eye twitched. “So, I didn’t have to wear all that crap?” Kakashi’s eye widened as he looked at Iruka’s irate expression. At least he wasn’t mad at Kakashi, or he thought he wasn’t.

“Well, I didn’t mind seeing you dolled up,” Kakashi started, but the glare he received had him back-peddle, “but no, no. It was all unnecessary. In fact, you could have done the whole thing naked. I would prefer it that way probably…” Kakashi whispered the last part to himself, but Iruka could hear him. 

Iruka wrapped the robe tighter around himself, blush going from his hairline down past his chest, Kakashi couldn’t see any further down, as Iruka clutched the robe tighter. Damn Kakashi couldn’t get this right.

“I…. I… Thank you for heating up this meal for me.” Iruka needed to make this more normal. His heart was pounding out of his chest. Kakashi wanted to see him naked? Was he joking? Iruka needed to stop blushing and do his duty.

“It was easy, Iruka. In the Village especially, I am very strong.” Kakashi winked when he said ‘strong’. Was it even a wink? The other eye was covered, but it looked intentional like a wink would. 

“Anyway, I’m stronger than any other Demon and it makes them all wary of me. I have no intention of exerting that power on you or any other villager.” Kakashi wanted Iruka to feel more comfortable.

“Really Kakashi? I haven’t ruined your connection to the village?” Iruka’s eyes were shining.

Kakashi didn’t want to put any pressure on Iruka. He wanted Iruka, the man was handsome and feisty, but he also needed Iruka. His hold on the Temple and the village rested them completing the ceremony and latching. He didn’t want to alarm Iruka though.

“Nothing could ruin my desire to protect this village.” Kakashi said it simply and it was the first time Iruka’s stomach fluttered. He smiled sweetly at Kakashi and ate his oatmeal. It was very good.

Kakashi mentally high-fived himself for getting a sweet smile from the teacher. He would seduce him. All would be fine.

Iruka finished his meal and moved his dish to the dirty pile.

“So, are there any books around here?” Iruka asked, completely unsure of how all this worked and how people started to get intimate. Maybe just talking would eventually lead to something. They have time in the Temple, so no rush, right?

Kakashi smiled, “Oh, there are the ones that Jiraiya has been working on. I find them to be a great tribute to me. I come to him in his sleep and ask for more after I finish reading. He writes much too slowly for my taste.”

Iruka smiled. A religious text, of course. He supposed it couldn’t be so boring if this strange Demon was entertained by it. It also seemed like a safe place to start, getting to know his husband.

Iruka followed Kakashi to an office in the back, there was a small shelf with some hand-written scrolls piled on it. “This is the first one, start here.”

Iruka smiled at Kakashi, opened the scroll and read the first line out loud, “’To me, love is life. Love is everything you see?’ Well, that’s nice, I could get behind that sentiment.” Iruka started to read further.

Kakashi was watching him, which was a little strange. Soon Iruka knew why. This was porn. This book was a written version of the instructional book Tsunade had given him. There were a lot of large, heaving breasts. Iruka dropped the scroll before fingers got put in places he would rather not know about.

“Not to your liking, Iruka-sensei?” Kakashi purred the word, his title never felt so dirty.

So, this was Kakashi’s plan? Embarrass him by tricking him into reading porn and then make him feel like some teacher fantasy?

If Iruka was mad before, this was a whole other level of fury he had never felt before. “How dare you. You mock me again?! Am I a joke to you?!” Kakashi was struck, luckily with just words this time. What had he done to deserve it this time? Iruka seemed in a good mood just minutes before. The books were some of the best Kakashi had ever read.

“These are the greatest books in this generation! What are you talking about Iruka, just calm down.” By this point, Kakashi should know better than to tell an emotional Iruka to calm down.

“This is smut!” Iruka yelled, embarrassed at being tricked by the Demon. “Get out of here.” Iruka whispered it like he was a curse. Kakashi sighed. This wasn’t working.

“Fine, but I swear, I didn’t mean any offense, Iruka,” Kakashi tried to project his innocence, but Iruka just glared at the Demon. He needed to try a different approach. Why was Iruka so difficult?

“Fine, I’ll see you out there.” Kakashi relented and he walked out of the office. Iruka took a moment to breathe deeply. He wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t really friends with many people, and certainly never was flirty! He had to keep his head above water here. Kakashi wasn’t doing anything too bad. Past the first kiss, he hadn’t tried anything improper. Kakashi said he didn’t mean the scroll as an insult.

Iruka needed to get it together. Wasn’t he supposed to sleep with his husband? Kakashi had said he would protect the village no matter what though. Maybe that was another thing that wasn’t actually needed from the ceremony? Or was Kakashi thinking this scroll would excite him? He was dead wrong. Iruka needed to calm down.

Iruka took a couple minutes to fix the scroll he had thrown to the ground and tidy the office up a little, trying to clear his head. He felt better after organizing and cleaning up the messy office space. He took a long cleansing breath and walked back out into the main hall of the Temple.

Kakashi was not at the table. Kakashi was not on the bed (not that Iruka hoped he was!). Kakashi was not in any of the alcoves. Kakashi wasn’t anywhere. Iruka really messed up, hadn’t he?

Well, wasn’t this what he wanted? To not have to deal with the Demon or be “married”? Kakashi said he was loyal to the village still, so this was it, wasn’t it? 

Iruka walked aimlessly around the Temple. He found other offices, no Kakashi, but there were scrolls. He read some of the texts, but many were in an old tongue that Iruka didn’t know how to read. He organized the spaces and tidied up. It seemed disrespectful to their deity to keep such a messy space.

Iruka found a broom and spent the whole rest of the day cleaning each room he had access to. It was nice to do menial tasks. It always cleared Iruka’s head.

“Well, I hope you enjoy your Temple better now. It was so dirty and messy. Your Sages should do better to keep the place up. I’m sure you would prefer it clean.” Iruka was talking to air. It was night now and he had lit a couple of torches.

Iruka was alone again. He drew another bath; cleaning was a bit of a workout after all and he felt his tension melt a little as the warm water lapped around him.

\--

The next day Iruka woke up alone. He breathed a sigh of relief to not have another’s lips on his first thing in the morning. He ate alone. It was so quiet.

He started to feel bad for how he yelled at Kakashi. Maybe the Demon was not mocking him. Maybe he actually did enjoy those books and thought Iruka would as well. Maybe that was how Kakashi initiated courting? Iruka shook his head to try and clear his guilt. It didn’t work for more than a moment. What could he do? Kakashi wasn’t around to apologize to.

Iruka tided the space as much as he could. He decided to wash his dishes in the washroom. Why wait for another person to have to clean his mess? He found a rag in a closet, took his washing bucket, and wiped the floors clean. He took another rag and was dusting all the surfaces when he noticed it was dusk already.

He thought about what he should do. Would Kakashi ever come back? Was he free? Should he have left already? Iruka didn’t know the protocol. He did know that he wanted to go back to his kids tomorrow. Teaching would clear his mind and help him forget all about this embarrassing moment in his life.

He nodded his head, decided. He waited until well past dusk, when there would be fewer people on the streets, and left the Temple. The guards looked shocked but didn’t try and stop him.

Iruka went to bed in his own room determined. He would go back to his normal life and forget all about this Demon husband stuff. Easy.


	7. Getting to Know Your Demon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 7 Warnings:  
> Genma in flames? Haha. Magic in the streets? No real warnings here. Just Iruka getting some feels.

It turns out, nothing in life is easy.

Kakashi was everywhere and nowhere. The first time Iruka saw Kakashi, he was in the classroom Monday morning.

When Iruka left the Temple that Sunday night, late, the guards were not expecting it. Gai and Raidō were on duty. Gai said they weren’t expecting Iruka out until the next weekend. Iruka simply said that what was done is done and everything is fine. He bolted to his apartment, luckily, he left late enough that there weren’t many people on the streets.

The next day, he showed up and dismissed the substitute teacher. The kids all cheered and asked Iruka a million questions. Sakura and Ino kept complimenting his hair and dress from the parade, saying he was so beautiful.

Naruto and Kiba kept asking about the Demon. They didn’t believe he was real. Iruka told them he was real. He noticed he didn’t get chocked up saying that much. He wondered how much he could say about the Demon before his tongue would stop.

“The Demon is real, as the scrolls state, he protects us all.” Iruka said the phrase he always used to use. He got it all out! Interesting.

“Yeah, well what is he like? Is he nice to you Iruka-sensei?! He better be good to you, you are the best!” Naruto had a love-hate relationship with Iruka. Iruka yelled at him all the time, but he was also there for the boy often, he was big brother to so many of the orphans, but Naruto really clung to him. It was sweet. Maybe Iruka should be nicer to the boy.

“He’s…” Iruka gasped, unable to say anymore as his tongue tied. The kids all looked shocked.

“What’s wrong Iruka-sensei?! He’s awful, I knew it.” Naruto was looking around him with murder in his eyes.

Iruka couldn’t even get out a “no, he’s not so bad”. All he could say was, “I’m absolutely fine, Naruto!” Naruto was not buying it and now the other kids were all freaking out as well. Naruto was spinning them all into a frenzy! He had to get control.

There was a sudden gust of wind rippling through their clothes, where did that come from? The kids all stopped yelling and looked confused at the windows and doors. Iruka looked up to see Kakashi making a hand signal, blowing wind into the classroom. He made eye contact with the Demon, cocking his head to the side. What was he doing?

Iruka turned back to the kids. They were looking at Iruka with awe in their faces. They weren’t idiots and must have suspected something was happening with that large of a breeze inside the room. They looked at Iruka like he made the magical wind, like he suddenly had powers.

Iruka had to explain something to them so he began, “I can’t talk about… the Demon.” Iruka began. The kids all looked at him.

“What? Why? He’s your… husband? Or whatever.” Naruto elegantly explained. It made Iruka laugh.

“Yes, but I can’t talk about him. Here see this,” Iruka said as he stuck out his tongue, showing the kids like Kiki had shown him so long ago.

The kids all gasped; Naruto made to grab Iruka’s tongue. Iruka swatted his hand away just in time. Iruka saw Kakashi cover his masked mouth with his hand, shoulders shaking with laughter. 

“This is a seal. It makes me unable to say anything about the Demon to people who don’t also have the seal. It protects our protector and our village.” Iruka nodded. That was what Kiki had told him. He had accepted it, so hopefully the children now would.

Most of the kids nodded. Naruto still looked suspicious, but he seemed to be the only outlier. He always was.

“So, you’re telling us, that this Demon tattooed your tongue, making you not be able to talk about him, but he’s some good guy? Iruka-sensei, does love make everyone stupid?” Naruto was a brat.

“Naruto! What are you talking about?!” Iruka asked, Kakashi looked at the boy, clearly laughing even harder now. “No, Naruto, the Demon is our protector. Please, this is all just over your head. Also did you say love?! I am not in love and neither is…” Iruka was stopped by the seal. He gave Kakashi in incredulous look, how could this be bad to talk about?!

“Well, you told me Iruka-senseiii, you told me that you had to be in love to get married, and then that’s where babies came from. Remember?! Then I noticed so many couples were all goo-goo eyed at each other and looked so dumb. Does love make you dumb?”

Iruka was struck dumb by his student. “Love is a beautiful thing Naruto. When you find someone who you know will protect you and you them. When you can say anything to each other without worry. When no one else could interrupt your thoughts when they are on your mind. That’s love. And it is not dumb.”

Iruka opened his eyes after his speech, he didn’t realize he closed them, to see his students endearing faces. Sakura and Ino were giving Sasuke big shiny eyes, clearly, they thought they knew what love was… Hinata was looking at Naruto similarly. He would have to keep an eye on these girls. Maybe love was dumb.

Then he noticed Kakashi staring at him. He looked stricken. Iruka angled his head to the side, curious about that look, but then Kakashi disappeared. Iruka shrugged.

“OK enough is enough. This has gone on long enough. I need you all to focus on today’s lesson. We need to practice our writing after all. Maybe each of you should write what you think love is, hm?” The students all groaned at that, even the little ladies who had just been giving goo-goo eyes looked displeased. 

“Well then, you will all stop asking such questions to me, or I will make you write about things you would rather not.” Iruka looked pleased as the students all started getting back to their desks and paying attention. Iruka took one last look at the doorway Kakashi was just in. It felt kind of nice having an ally.

\--

The next time he noticed the Demon it was one day later. He was helping the matron this evening by watching the younger ones while she cooked and prepared the meals for the rest of the week. They were enjoying the evening outside, playing a very exciting game of tag.

Iruka noticed a dog sitting across the street. It was a small pug. He had seen this dog before, assuming it was a street dog because of the lack of collar despite it looking well fed and chubby. Now it had on this odd jacket he had never seen before. The face on the back made him think of Kakashi. It looked a little like the henohenomoheji that was stamped on the scrolls in the Temple.

Iruka noticed Sasuke, a black-haired recent addition to the orphanage and student in his class, also see the dog and decided to ask him about the jacket. He could only get out, “hey did that dog always have...” Before his throat closed up.

Sasuke looked oddly at his teacher/babysitter/fellow orphan. “It’s a stray, sensei. What could it have? It’s like us. It has nothing,” he said before walking away. Sasuke was one angsty child. How could he argue with that? Maybe his next lesson should be about gratitude.

He then noticed the boy trip on a rock, but he only stumbled because Kakashi was there, he had grabbed the boy by the arm, preventing a bigger fall. Sasuke just assumed he had righted himself in time, but Iruka knew better, staring at his husband’s back.

Sasuke played it off, but Naruto pointed and laughed at his rival for tripping on a small pebble. Kakashi just watched as Naruto tripped on his own two feet not one minute later. Iruka laughed loudly at the face Naruto made as he jumped back up, brushed off the dirt, and looked slightly ashamed.

Kakashi looked over at him, and his smile faded as their eyes locked.

Then Kakashi was gone, just like that. The pug rolled its eyes but stayed sitting by the alley across the street.

\--

The third time Iruka saw Kakashi, he was much more embarrassed by the exchange.

After classes on Wednesday he went to the market to get some provisions for the week. He ran into Genma who looked over at Iruka, confusion clear on his face.

“What are you doing out?” Genma asked like it spit from his lips unintentionally. It was only Tuesday and clearly no one told him Iruka had escaped Sunday night.

“What do you mean, Genma? I was not a prisoner. Besides, I wanted to teach my kids, get back to normal. You know.” Iruka was trying that line out. Smiling, making light. It would work. It had to work. He didn’t do anything wrong. And he had seen Kakashi around the village already, he even helped Iruka and smiled at him, well laughed at him, but still. That had to be a good sign, right? Everything was fine.

“Well, when we asked Jiraiya-sage how long we would have to hold sentry, he said the shortest time on record was 5 days. He said that was about 250 years ago, and a war was going on. Anyway, he predicted it would probably be a similar amount of time for you. Guess it was only 2 days. You made a new record, eh Iruka?” Genma laughed. It was not a nice laugh to Iruka.

How was Iruka to know that he expected to be in there for a week? Kakashi didn’t tell him anything, hell Kakashi had left him, and anyone else only implied he could be there up to a week. Iruka was embarrassed, his face was heating up.

He looked down and noticed Genma was also heating up. Literally. His sleeve was on fire.

“Genma! You’re on fire!” Iruka yelled it, immediately starting to slap Genma’s arm, harder than he meant to, though it felt good to smack the jerk.

Genma looked down and gasped, “how the hell?!” before he dropped to the ground and rolled.

Iruka looked up to see Kakashi making another hand sign, when he noticed Iruka noticing him, Kakashi dropped his hands and Genma stopped being on fire. The Demon rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and Iruka started to burst into laughter.

“Jeez Iruka, you don’t have to laugh at a man when he’s down.” Genma started to get back up, trying to brush dust and dirt off himself. Iruka continued to laugh but did helped pat the dust off Genma’s back.

“Sorry Genma, I didn’t know you were prone to burst into spontaneous flames. I will be more prepared next time.” Iruka started to turn away to continue his shopping but turned his head at the last minute to add, “and I didn’t want to invade, but you may want to see if anyone will pat a little lower. Your ass is very dusty.”

As Iruka made his way back to the fruit stand, he noticed Kakashi clapping at him, Iruka made a dramatic bow toward Kakashi. The Demon smiled wide, visible even through the mask, before he disappeared entirely. 

That was the first instance of Iruka’s new public image as “the Bride”. He wished they all ended with him smiling.


	8. A Promised Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 8 Warnings:  
> Mizuki flustering Iruka but being close and touching him inappropriately, but not so bad. Clothes are all on!

The rumor mill moved fast in their village. More people had come back from the country since the cease fire started, and many families were shocked at the new Bride. And because of Genma’s big mouth, the whole village knew that Iruka was only in the Temple for a couple days.

The council was accosted with concerned citizens, upset about the Bride choice and worried about their protection. The council made these citizens go talk to Jiraiya, who explained that all was well. The ceremony went exactly as it should and that Iruka had the tattoo. It was all as it should be.

Many of the most concerned citizens were the wealthier ones, upset their daughters weren’t asked to be the Bride. Iruka scoffed at many of these families; their daughters were in their early teens mostly! How could they expect them to be put in the position so young? Being the Bride was a very noble place in their society, a place which held high honor and a place on the council, but it was still like being a prisoner.

Iruka wasn’t sure he had the inclination to take advantage of the status his position allowed. He now understood that the Partner was more than just a latch for the Demon. They were the only ones who could interact directly with the Demon and was their representative for major village decisions. It made more sense that the Partner would have a place on the council with that knowledge. He wasn’t sure that the council properly valued this ability because it had seemed, to Iruka at least, that Kiki was not taken very seriously by the other members while she was alive.

Iruka was also not being taken very seriously right now by almost anyone in the village. Anytime he entered a crowded room, the villagers would hush to whispers, like they were hiding what they were talking about, which they probably were.

Iruka started to avoid going out as much. He spent more time at the orphanage, where the kids didn’t seem to think much differently of him. Iruka noticed more and more of the stray dogs he used to feed on the street had those silly little vests. They now seemed more like soldiers to Iruka than dogs.

It was more than a week later that Iruka ran into Mizuki for the first time since his wedding. Iruka was just packing up after class; it was still early, only 2 pm. It was normal for Mizuki to visit him after class and for them to walk out together.

“Where have you been Mizuki? I thought I was the only one who would be taking leave?” Iruka asked his friend with a smile.

“Iruka, you shouldn’t talk about your ‘absence’. You know what they are saying about you don’t you?” Mizuki had a hard look in his eyes. He seemed different somehow. 

“Mizuki, I don’t really want to talk about all that.” Iruka started, but Mizuki gave him a look full of pity and Iruka looked down at the floor. He hated the pity, but Mizuki just wanted what was best for him. He was his best friend.

“Iruka, you should know what you’re up against. The cruder rumors just say you were such a horrible Bride that the Demon couldn’t stand being around you any longer and kicked you out. The more cunning are saying you didn’t complete the ceremony. They are saying that you didn’t consummate the marriage. They say Hatake kicked you out because he rejected you as a male, or because you were too ugly, or too loud and emotional. It’s all over town, Iruka.”

Iruka looked at his friend in horror. The villagers were saying such cruel things? Iruka felt the tears well in his eyes. He didn’t want to cry right now, not when the whole village was saying Kakashi left him because he was too emotional! He needed to get back to his own apartment.

Mizuki was blocking the doorway though. Iruka threw everything he had into his bag, not caring anymore for order, and made toward the exit. “Please, Mizuki, this is a lot to hear. I want to be alone.”

“You are alone, Iruka.” Mizuki said it, not moving out of Iruka’s way. In fact, Mizuki pressed closer to Iruka. Iruka stepped back, Mizuki stepped forward and Iruka stepped back in a crude imitation of a dance until Iruka’s butt hit his desk. “Tell me what happened? I’m your friend. You don’t seem any different to me.”

“I can’t tell you what happened.” Iruka said it calmly, but his heart was racing. What was Mizuki doing? He was leaning into Iruka’s personal space, too close. “Please could you back away.” Iruka put his hand on Mizuki’s chest, making to push him away. Mizuki just grabbed the hand and held it there, over Mizuki’s slow, steady heartbeat; so much slower than Iruka’s was at the moment.

Mizuki pulled Iruka’s hand off his chest for a moment. Spinning Iruka’s wedding band slowly on his finger, looking at the leaf symbol for a moment before looking into Iruka’s eyes. He didn’t drop Iruka’s hand.

“You seem just as skittish as you always have. That may not mean much though. Where did the big, bad Demon touch you, Iruka? Here?” Iruka breathed in sharply as Mizuki’s hand cupped his cheek, his thumb grazing over Iruka’s lips. Iruka couldn’t move. It was like he was in a spell.

Suddenly Mizuki’s hand moved down Iruka’s neck, past his chest, down and as his hand stopped just above Iruka’s crotch he said, “how about here?”

It snapped Iruka out of his stupor, face going incredibly flush, and he snapped, “No! He didn’t touch me there! Please stop!” Iruka ripped his hand from Mizuki’s grip and smacked it over his own mouth.

“So, the rumors are true. Interesting,” Mizuki said, turning away from Iruka, who was leaning back on his desk, shocked still.

“What is wrong with you, Mizuki? What… I…” Iruka whispered. Mizuki made no sign he heard as he walked out the door. What was happening? He was a mess. Why did Mizuki do that? He always pushed Iruka’s buttons, but it had never felt so sinister before.

Something was wrong. He just didn’t know what.

Iruka wanted to be alone in his apartment even more now. He rushed out the door and practically sprinted to his house.

As soon as he made it in and locked his door, he was pulled into a warm embrace. Iruka’s eyes widened and he pushed his way out of the comforting arms around him. Why were men taking so many liberties with his personal space today?!

“It’s not true, Iruka,” Kakashi said as soon as Iruka could look into his eye. “I left solely because you asked me. It was not for any other reason. The village is not all talking that way about you either. Many are, yes, but it is not nearly as cruel as that man made it seem.”

Iruka breathed in and out. It was comforting to hear that. He calmed down a little. Kakashi’s hands were still on his arms, rubbing up and down slowly. Was the Demon comforting him?

“I haven’t heard from you since the porn,” Iruka smiled up at Kakashi, trying to show he was over it. “I wasn’t sure how you felt or what I was to do. Seeing you around the village has been nice.” Iruka smiled up at Kakashi. He felt like he knew the man better now. He was a part of the village, whether the people knew it or not. Iruka liked being in on this secret. Iruka liked their shy smiles and waves.

Kakashi looked down at Iruka, shocked. That smile, it was directed at him, and it was pure and true.

“I’ll always be around you, Iruka. I’m your doting husband after all,” Kakashi said, smiling back at Iruka.

Iruka felt it then. That feeling. The one low in his stomach. It was small, but there. “Can I see your face, Kakashi?” Iruka asked, staring at Kakashi’s lips through the mask. He wanted to see that smile. Maybe the feeling would get bigger. He recalled from the Temple that Kakashi had a handsome face after all.

Kakashi looked down at Iruka’s imploring expression, still smiling. He had no objections to Iruka seeing his face, but he wanted to keep it hidden from the other demons. This apartment, though alone as they were, still made Kakashi feel a little uneasy. Iruka’s eager face made Kakashi lose some of that anxiety, he pulled down the mask just to his chin.

Iruka leaned in, the butterflies did increase with each inch exposed. Kakashi sensed Iruka opening up to him and leaned down the rest of the way, their lips met in a gentle touch. Kakashi felt his heart flutter. It was unusual that his heart would react before his loins. Iruka was such a fascinating person, he had drawn Kakashi in and not let him go. It had never happened that Kakashi had to work for a Partner’s attention. It made this all the more exciting.

When Kakashi pulled away from their chaste second kiss, he pulled his mask back up immediately, uncomfortable having it down outside his Temple. He needed to move this to the Temple, he was sure that he would be more successful with his seduction now.

“You know, Iruka,” Kakashi moved his arms around Iruka’s waist, “you are allowed in the Temple of Hatake anytime, and you can kick all the Sages out. Did you know that? You are above them all in rank as my Partner.”

Iruka laughed lightly, “do they know that?” Iruka was thinking there was either a lot of communication issues between the Sages and their Demon, or Kakashi was making stuff up. Did that matter though? If the deity said it, wasn’t it law?

Kakashi laughed. It was a low rumble and it vibrated through Kakashi’s chest into Iruka’s chest, mere centimeters away. It made the feeling stronger in his stomach. “They will know when they ‘find’ the scroll outlining your powers in the archives.”

“I can go there tomorrow. After work, I can go to the Temple instead of coming home. Will this scroll be ready by then?” Iruka smiled at Kakashi, clearly, he understood that Kakashi was going to create this scroll and add it to the archives.

Kakashi strangely didn’t mind being seen so clearly by this man. “Yes.” Kakashi said it a little breathlessly. Iruka’s smile was making his stomach churn, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It made him excited.

“You really are a doting husband.” Iruka kissed Kakashi’s cheek. “Thank you for comforting me tonight.”

Kakashi, throat was tight. He couldn’t speak. This is what is must feel like to have the tattoo. He would have more sympathy for Iruka in the future.

“Tomorrow then?” Kakashi said, not exactly sure what would happen tomorrow, but that kiss meant something! Kakashi was thrilled. He didn’t think he had really done much to seduce Iruka. He hadn’t given him anything yet, he hadn’t touched the man much, he hadn’t even done his famous strip tease. But Iruka was looking at him with affection.

All Kakashi did was more or less what he normally did in the village. Help prevent the children from hurting themselves, amuse himself with pranks, and now comfort his Partner. Iruka seemed to be attracted to the weirdest things. Kakashi couldn’t have been happier to learn that, he could just be himself. He would probably still try the strip tease though; it was really good.

Iruka nodded, “tomorrow, the Temple. Dinner?” Iruka looked over at Kakashi with mischief.

“Oh, you are trying to get a free meal out of me. I see. Fine. I’ll have a meal there for you,” Kakashi said.

“We are doing all this out of order. Marriage, then a first date? At least I didn’t already have your baby!” Iruka laughed at his own joke. Kakashi didn’t laugh.

“Did you want to have my baby?” Iruka’s eyes snapped up at Kakashi’s serious face. The mirth dying down with each second Kakashi held the piercing look.

Kakashi finally broke laughing, “oh, sensei! You know anatomy! Don’t worry, I promise, we will be well in love before I put a baby in you.”

Iruka smacked Kakashi’s arm, “don’t joke about that! I’m barely able to handle the kids I teach!” Iruka laughed at that.

His lips were still turned up when Kakashi’s hand cupped his check, his thumb ran over Iruka’s lips. It was the same move that Mizuki had done earlier, but it felt so different with the Demon. It made his stomach flip suddenly, Iruka breathed in at the feeling.

Iruka kissed Kakashi’s thumb as it moved slowly over his lips. It just seemed right. He was just able to whisper, “’til tomorrow,” with his stomach in this throat.

Kakashi didn’t say another word before he disappeared. 

Iruka’s stomach wouldn’t stop doing summersaults. What was tomorrow going to bring? All Iruka knew was he was excited more than nervous this time when he went to bed. He felt so much better than before his wedding night, and it was not only because he didn’t have to maintain some stupid elaborate hairdo. He really liked his Husband. He fell into a deep sleep.


	9. Allies and Betrayals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 9 Warnings:  
> We are getting to the meat of the warnings. This chapter is set up, so the only warning is some fighting and kidnapping, totally within canon levels. Oh and some cursing... Not sure if that matters to warn... I never have! Also note that Iruka can't tell, but that one member of the sound four that has two heads, Iruka assumes he is twins. He kind of is? But they are still only four.... It's weird and confusing, sorry not sorry!

“I have news Orochimaru-sama,” Mizuki said bowing as said Demon appeared at their meeting stone just outside the village’s boarder wall.

“Well, on with it Mizuki.” Orochimaru didn’t like having to leave the Temple in his village unless he had to. Weeks ago, when he found Mizuki sulking in these woods, he wasn’t sure if anything would come from their alliance. He hoped the man had an update that was worth his time.

“Iruka didn’t fuck the Demon.” Orochimaru’s eyes widened, nodding for Mizuki to continue. “The whole of the village is talking about it, and Iruka said it himself to me. Oh, and I checked the ring, it only had the leaf print on it. There was no other imprint on it that I could see.”

“What do you mean the Bride ‘said it himself’?” Orochimaru had a narrow look in his eyes, Mizuki swallowed thickly. He knew he messed up. He gave away in that instance that Iruka could talk to Mizuki about the Demon. Iruka wasn’t dumb and if he told Kakashi, the whole plan would go down the drain.

“Don’t worry, Orochimaru-sama, Iruka isn’t talking to Kakashi. He was flustered when he left the Temple according to the guard and hasn’t set foot back in there once for more than a week.” Mizuki was sure that all was well. Iruka wouldn’t suspect his best friend anyway.

Mizuki had spend the last week in Otogakure learning about the Demon and forging an alliance. He finally felt like he was being taken seriously and his potential was seen. He hoped this little snafu wouldn’t put their carefully laid plans in danger.

“Kakashi is smarter than you are giving him credit for. He will figure out this situation.” Orochimaru motioned for a large orange haired man to come forward. He did so mechanically. The Demon whispered some instructions and the man left without a word, the picture of efficiency.

“So, we will have to move much quicker than anticipated. The Four will bring our prize tonight. Go make sure no one sees anything Mizuki. Remember your pledge to me.”

Mizuki smirked, bowed, and nodded. He would be made the Leader of Konohagakure once Orochimaru took over. It was going to be perfect. He would have all the power he deserved.

“Of course, my Lord, I won’t disappoint.” Orochimaru disappeared, presumably going back to his Temple to prepare for the new arrival. Mizuki turned to walk back to his village with a lecherous smirk. It would be all his soon. Iruka was the key.

When Orochimaru found and gave him the kiss in that same spot just outside the village on the day of the wedding, he really wasn’t sure what to do, but he was happy he listened to the neighboring Demon’s grand plans. All his dreams would come true because of his friendship with Iruka. The man was too naive and trusting, it would be his downfall.

\--

Iruka was fast asleep when a pounding at his door pulled him from his slumber.

“Iruka! Iruka, open up, wake up, it’s Naruto! Something has happened. Wake up!” It was Mizuki’s voice. Why would he be here telling him something about Naruto?

Something happened to Naruto?! Iruka’s mind finally caught up to the words he heard his friend saying. Yesterday’s weird events were in the back of his mind, whereas the front of his mind was full of images of Naruto in a burning building, lost and alone, or dead in his bed. Iruka’s mind always went to dark place.

Iruka threw on a shirt and loose pants before rushing to open the door for his best friend. Mizuki looked nervous and on edge. Maybe he did care about Naruto, because he looked haggard. It made Iruka’s heart jump to his throat and somehow also stop beating.

“What happened? Where is he?!” Iruka gave Mizuki a wild look as he pulled on some sandles, almost putting them on the wrong feet in his hast. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to his foolhardy boy.

“Just outside the village, in the woods behind the orphanage.” Mizuki didn’t even finish his sentence before Iruka was running in the direction of the woods. He often played with the kids in those woods. They were beautiful and comfortable and a part of the only home many of them knew. What could have happened?

The second Iruka entered the woods, he knew something was wrong. It was dead silent. He didn’t even see Mizuki anymore. “NARUTO?!” Iruka yelled before he heard a lovely song waft through the air. It sounded like a flute. He tried to place the tune, but it alluded him.

He was lulled by the soft tone for a moment. It was almost enough for him to miss the hands that reached for him. Almost. He taught self-defense, and he used his jujitsu training to slip out of the arms that tried to grab him from behind in a bear-hug, elbowing the torso on his escape.

Iruka backed away from the hulking figure with two sets of arms. That was completely unnatural! What was happening? Iruka tried to speak, to scream for help, but it felt like his voice was stolen from him since the flute started playing. What magic was this? Were these Demons? Kakashi warned him once that Demon’s could go anywhere but in another Demon’s Temple, but he never thought they would be bold enough to come to the village! Kakashi would surely come to help soon.

Then Iruka noticed how far out into the woods he was. He was just outside the village’s official boarder. The one he always told his younger orphans to stay within after dusk. How stupid, he ran right into this. Kakashi couldn’t sense enemies if they weren’t within the village boarder. Was Naruto here? Was he caught by this spidery foe? Iruka noticed the man had the insignia of Otogakure on his forehead protector.

There was a treaty! How dare they come so close to the village. What would they want with the young orphan anyway? His brain seemed to wake up at that. They weren’t after Naruto. They were after him. He fell into a trap. He was a Partner. They weren’t supposed to leave the villages, in fact he thought they weren’t able to leave the village of their Demon. What would happen now? Where was Mizuki? Maybe he could help?

Iruka side-stepped a frontal attack attempt by a new giant man with orange hair, Iruka managed to grab his wrist from the side, and twisted the large arm until he heard a pop. His shoulder was dislocated now. It should keep him at bay. Iruka needed to make it back to the village. Kakashi would help him then.

Why couldn’t be speak?! He kept trying to yell for help, but nothing came out.

Suddenly Iruka was surrounded. The orange behemoth and the spider-man were not the only ones. The orange giant was on his feet, twisting his bone back into place himself. He didn’t even wince. Iruka was out of his league.

Suddenly two identical smaller men with white hair swiped his feet out from under him, and Iruka fell to the ground. He tried to get up quickly, but the large man had him around his neck, lifting him with one arm.

Iruka couldn’t breathe let alone talk or scream for help. The music stopped and a girl with fiery hair appeared. His eyes were starting to fill with black dots; he was losing consciousness. He choked out, “Ka-ka-shi,” before he fell into a dark oblivion.

Pakkun, the small stray pug, watched from behind a tree just inside the village boarder as the Otogakure soldiers carried Iruka from the woods towards their village. “This is not good.” Pakkun said as he turned and ran to the Temple.

“Iruka,” Naruto whispered. He had come out when he heard his name being yelled, he made it out just in time to watch his precious brother being carried away by the enemy.

“Naruto, what are you doing out here?” Naruto turned and saw Mizuki, hands on his hips, scold on his lip.

“Mizuki-sensei! Did you see that? They took Iruka! We have to get help.” Naruto made to turn back to the village. Mizuki shook his head no. It stopped Naruto. “I thought you were Iruka’s friend, his brother even?!

“There’s no time, Naruto, we need to follow them before we lose their trail. Come with me.” Mizuki said it with urgency. Naruto nodded. He didn’t think Mizuki trusted him, but this was a big responsibility! Iruka’s life was in the balance. Naruto didn’t hesitate. He took the hand Mizuki offered and ran next to him, away from his home, toward unknown danger.

‘I’ll save you, Iruka. You’re all I have!’ Naruto promised, not noticing Mizuki tightening his grip on the boy’s hand. This was turning out better than Mizuki thought.

“Don’t worry, Naruto, everything will turn out as it should.” For some reason, the words did not comfort Naruto in the least, but he kept up Mizuki’s pace as they got farther from the village.

\--

Pakkun came to a screeching halt in front of Kakashi in the Temple archive. He was carefully writing a note in a scroll. Pakkun’s sudden presence must have startled him, because he scratched the ink across the page, ruining the official look he was going for.

“Pakkun! You know how hard it is for me to do mundane things like writing. What is it?!” Kakashi looked at his familiar and knew something must really be wrong. He never looked so out of breath or worried. “What is it?” Kakashi became serious.

“Iruka was taken,” Kakashi’s eye widened considerably, heart leaping into his throat. The sun was just breaching the horizon and light barely started to flicker into reality. “There were Otogakure members in the woods. He ran in there yelling Naruto, but the kid was in the house as normal. Then the Four took him. He fought off one but was overcome. How could you let it come to this?”

Kakashi was up in a second, shocked, but already thinking of what he needed to do. “Shut up, Pakkun, I need to think. We need to get him back immediately. At least he completed the ceremony for his safety from the elements. Orochimaru can’t hurt him.”

“That is hardly any consolation. You can’t enter his Temple, and you’re weaker and he’s stronger in his own village. If Iruka is there, which he probably almost is already, you can’t do anything. And he is unlatched. What if Orochimaru mates with him?! How could you let him out of this Temple before that happened?!” Pakkun didn’t hold back his grievance. He warned Kakashi many times of this already, and he didn’t want to say, ‘I told you so’, but he did and look what happened?! Why do human’s never listen?

“I couldn’t hold him against his will. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. I need to find someone to help!” Kakashi left the Temple and pounded onto the street bathed in the new dawn light. Not many people woke up so early. He knew of only one, the best fighter in the village as it turns out, who was always up this early. Kakashi did not like what he was about to do.

“Find Gai.”

Pakkun gave a little shocked face to Kakashi, blanching under his fur. He understood though, and ran, following his nose to the Captain. 

Kakashi had known Gai his whole life. From the second that Gai learned there was a Demon that protected the village, he claimed to be that Demon’s rival. Gai proclaimed he would be the greatest protector of the village and would become just as strong as the Demon.

Kakashi found it endearing in the weakly kid, but then realized just how seriously that kid was taking his oath. He started training every day. He became the strongest soldier in the ranks. He was brave and kind. Kakashi started to admire the man. He was still crazy, training from dawn ‘til dusk and crying at every little thing. But he had earned Kakashi’s respect.

Kakashi almost laughed remembering how much he cried during the wedding ceremony. Gai was his representative along with Jiraiya after all. The highest-ranking officer normally took the seat of the Demon at the ceremony, but Asuma had to be on Iruka’s side, so second command was allowed. Kakashi preferred it that way. He liked Gai. Not enough to do what he was about to though.

They found the man on the training grounds doing squats.

“134… 135… 136…” Kakashi approached the bulky figure. He was the only one up, and he knew that Gai cared about Iruka. He would do everything he could to help once he knew. He just had to let him know.

The training ground was empty as Kakashi made a sweep of the area. Once he confirmed they were truly alone, he approached. Gai was stretching his arms, probably preparing for push-ups.

Now or never.

Kakashi pulled his mask down, grabbed Gai’s unsuspecting face, and planted a kiss right on his lips. When Kakashi felt the effect of the spell settle, he dropped Gai’s head and replaced him mask quickly.

Gai’s whole body snapped to attention when he felt the ghostly hands on his face, and when they became corporal and he saw another man attached to his lips, he made a very undignified noise, but he didn’t push Kakashi away.

“Well, this is most unexpected,” Gai started, about to explain how he was flattered, but not interested, when Kakashi interrupted him.

“I am the Demon of Hatake. Call me Kakashi,” Gai’s jaw literally hit the floor. “We don’t have time for more introductions right now, Iruka has been taken.” Gai’s jaw came right back into place, he stood at attention as he would to his General.

“What must I do?” Gai said very seriously and Kakashi knew he had made the right choice.

Kakashi explained his plan to Gai. They were to head immediately to the Temple in Otogakure. They couldn’t bring a large contingent. Otogakure broke the treaty by stealing their Bride, but Kakashi doubted it was sanctioned by the council. Orochimaru was most likely the sole culprit. Still, they wouldn’t take kindly to an invasion. They needed to be stealthy and escape with Iruka as soon as humanly possible.

Gai nodded, “I will do all in my power to make sure Iruka is safe, and the village protected.”

Another of Kakashi’s familiars came up to them. It was a big grey bulldog. “Bull, what is it?” Kakashi asked, he needed all the information available before they headed out.

“Boss, the kid, Naruto, he isn’t at the home.”

Kakashi breathed sharply. He knew Iruka was close to Naruto. He was no doubt going to be used as leverage. This got even more serious. Orochimaru had all the ingredients to take over control of Konohagakure, and without any battle.

Kakashi looked into Gai’s eyes and they both knew. This was bad. This was very bad.


	10. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 10 Warnings:  
> Ok THIS IS IMPORTANT This is the chapter with coercion to sex. If you are sensitive about that, I can provide a summary at the bottom of what went down... Again, there is no actual non-con other than a face lick... sooo take that for what it is and enjoy (or don't!)!

Iruka breathed in hard, sitting up as he did so. He only normally woke up like that if he was having a night terror, but he couldn’t recall what he was just dreaming about, or even if he was asleep.

He looked around, it looked like he was in a Temple. The light streaming in from the high windows implied it was mid-morning, just before noon maybe. He was on a futon in the back of the temple, a very simple and uncomfortable futon compared to the one prepared for his wedding.

Iruka stood up and stretched, his muscles hurt, and his neck was very sore. He tried to tilt his head to the side, but it caused excruciating pain, so he stopped. He lightly touched his neck, wincing in pain. He remembered now. He was attacked late last night or early this morning, he wasn’t sure when Mizuki woke him.

He turned to the open area of the Temple and noticed a very pale man with long black hair sitting on a throne of black obsidian.

“Hello Iruka,” the man said, he had purple make-up lining his eyes. Iruka wondered if it was make-up that made him so pale as well. It seemed very unnatural. “You must be wondering what you are doing here.”

Iruka just nodded. Looking around, on high alert for an attack.

“You will come to no harm here, Iruka. This is my Temple. Bride’s who undergo the ceremony of the elements cannot be harmed by Demons or our magic.” This man was a Demon. He was not Kakashi though. Iruka couldn’t trust what he said.

“Who are you?” Iruka asked, standing straight and trying to look intimidating. The Demon just laughed.

“Oh, feisty. You may address me as Orochimaru-sama.”

Iruka’s eyes widened, this was Otogakure’s Demon. He knew the name. He taught the names of all the Demon Temples to his students. He was sure no one remembered them, but this was their rival village, so Iruka always emphasized it.

“Kakashi will be very displeased! I am his Partner. You can’t just take me from my village. This is an act of aggression in the time of a treaty!” Iruka tried to act confident, letting his anger act like a shield. He wasn’t sure if what he said was true. He wasn’t sure if a missing schoolteacher would matter much, but a Partner must matter. They weren’t supposed to be able to leave the villages, but he had. Something was wrong.

“Oh, Iruka, Kakashi didn’t tell you? Your ceremony was incomplete. You are still unlatched.” Orochimaru informed Iruka, eyes sparkling with delight.

“No. No, he kissed me. He let me go from the Temple.” Iruka shook his head. ‘Don’t trust this Demon,’ he tried to tell himself, but it was what the villagers were saying. It was what Mizuki said.

“In fact, you are prime for latching. I would like to propose to you. I will take you, and thus, take control of Konohagakure. Give yourself to me, Iruka, and I will give you power you could only dream of.” Orochimaru was barking up the wrong tree if he thought that was going to work on him!

“I am not some power-mongering megalomaniac! I have honor. I will not betray my village!” Iruka backed away from Orochimaru’s throne. He turned around, starting for the door.

“I told you he wouldn’t go for that.”

Iruka stopped in his path toward the door, turning back toward the voice. Out of one of the side alcoves came Mizuki. He was holding Naruto, who was gagged and bound at the wrists. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at Iruka.

“I think you will reconsider,” Orochimaru said. “How about instead a trade? I release this boy unharmed, and you do as I say?” Iruka ignored the Demon, he couldn’t talk to him anyway with Naruto there, instead he stared at Mizuki.

“What are you doing? Mizuki, please, what are you doing? He’s just a boy! Please, let him go.” Iruka pleaded.

“Iruka, you are such a naive idiot.” Iruka’s heart shattered at Mizuki’s words. He never thought his oldest friend would betray him like this. “Konohagakure never appreciated me. I’ll have all of it under my control soon. Including you. So, you better get used to calling me Mizuki-sama.” The smile on Mizuki’s face was contorted and evil. Iruka had to look away. He looked down at Naruto instead.

Iruka couldn’t betray the village. It would mean putting a cruel man and this rumored cruel Demon in power. Iruka was looking into Naruto’s eyes, tears tracking down his cheeks only to be absorbed into the gag. He looked guilty, apologetic, sad. Iruka started to tear up as well. He couldn’t watch Naruto get hurt either. What could he do?

Suddenly a snake, as white as Orochimaru’s skin, shot out of the man’s robes and bit onto Naruto’s ankle. The boy screamed into his gag, and Iruka screamed too, lunging for Naruto.

The snake let go, and wiggled back to its master, Iruka pulled Naruto into his arms, tears streaming down both of their faces. Iruka grabbed Naruto’s ankle and started sucking at the wound, trying to draw any poison out immediately.

Orochimaru’s cruel laughter filled the room. “Oh Iruka, you are kind. It’s not a poison you can hope to extract.” Iruka briefly stop sucking to spit Naruto’s blood on the floor of the Temple toward Orochimaru rudely before he started sucking more.

Orochimaru stopped laughing. He narrowed his eyes at Iruka. “I will not tolerate my Bride’s disobedience. Mizuki remove the boy from the Temple.” Mizuki kicked Iruka’s chest, causing him to cough on Naruto’s blood in his mouth as he skidded back away from his boy. The blood was dripping down his chin.

“What will happen to him? What is happening to him?!” Iruka was panicked as he watched Naruto’s eyes start to roll back, he lost consciousness and the bite looked red and glowing.

“Nothing need happen to the boy. I can extract the poison before any damage is done. As long as you are to be my Bride.” Orochimaru was back to cool indifference.

“What will happen to the village?” Iruka asked quietly.

“Oh, my dear, there will be an amazing peace. Why would we have a war if I were the Demon controlling both villages?” That sounded OK to Iruka. He wanted peace.

“What will happen to Hiruzen-sama and those loyal?” Iruka didn’t think he would like this answer.

“Exile, unless they fight it, at worst prison. I can be a reasonable Demon. If my Bride wishes it.” Iruka was breathing hard.

“What about Kakashi?” Iruka’s heart pounded as he thought about the other Demon. He was so different from this force in front of him. Kakashi pranking, laughing, smiling, helping, protecting, kissing. He was good. He represented Konnohagakure’s values perfectly.

“Kakashi is a Demon, Iruka, we don’t die easily. He will just be unlatched to the village. That’s all.” Orochimaru said it with a wave of his hand. “Besides, what do you care? You don’t even like Kakashi. You pushed him away, didn’t you?”

Iruka looked up quickly into Orochimaru’s eyes. How did he know? Shame filled Iruka. How stupid was he? He thought it was all fine. His stubbornness caused all this. It was his fault. And now Naruto was going to die if he didn’t give away his home.

“Are you sure you want me to leave Orochimaru-sama? Seems like Iruka isn’t so sure. We can easily go collect more of his orphans to poison.” Mizuki said cruelly. Iruka’s eyes widened. They were just children. They didn’t deserve this. Naruto was panting now. He looked like he was suffering.

Iruka turned back to Orochimaru, tears drying on his face. “I’ll do it.” Iruka whispered. Orochimaru smiled, mouth impossibly wide, like the snake he was.

Iruka choked back a sob. He couldn’t regret now. He couldn’t back down. The children were the most important part of Konohagakure. Hiruzen taught him that. He had to protect them. If he was Orochimaru’s Bride, maybe he would be able to better protect them from the Demon. He lost. He couldn’t get out of this. So, he may as well try and protect them another way. Any way he could.

Orochimaru stepped off his dais and reached for Iruka’s face. He wiped some of the blood from Iruka’s chin and licked it off his finger. His tongue looked like a warped version of a snake’s, long and forked. Iruka tried not to recoil. He tried to keep standing upright, like he was strong and confident, like Tsunade.

Orochimaru gripped Iruka’s forearm and started to drag him to the futon. “Not with Naruto in the room! Please.” Iruka pleaded, Naruto didn’t look good, but he was there, Iruka couldn’t take it if Naruto had to watch what was about to come next.

With a sweep of his hands, Orochimaru signaled Mizuki to leave. He bowed, slung Naruto over his shoulder, and made for the door. It opened and Mizuki disappeared on the other side into the sun.

“Now, we are all alone, finally.” Orochimaru said as they made it to the uncomfortable bed.

“What do you… What should I…” Iruka looked over Orochimaru’s shoulder, unable to ask what was required of him. His face was red, but he refused to look down.

“This is delicious.” Orochimaru said as he gently touched Iruka’s neck. It made Iruka wince, even though the light touch didn’t hurt. “You bruise beautifully.” Iruka breathed deeply. Trying to keep level-headed. “I’ll have to remember that, for later.” He was trapped. He would do anything to keep his children from harm. In fact, it was what got him to be a Partner in the first place.

Orochimaru’s forked tongue suddenly emerged from his mouth, inhumanly long, licking up Iruka’s neck, from below his ear, up to his cheek and across the scar along his nose. Iruka tried not to flinch, or yell, or react at all. He ended up making a restrained gasping sound at first, followed by him forcibly biting his lips closed, eyes on the ceiling.

“I would like for you to strip for me. Is the scar on your face the only one? I’d like to find out.” Orochimaru seemed to revel in his pain. Iruka tried not to think about when he got his facial scar. It was the worst night of his life. In a strange way, recalling that night comforted him, nothing this Demon could do to him would be worse than watching his parent’s death.

“And don’t hide your lips from me,” Orochimaru grabbed Iruka’s face in one hand, forcing him to stop biting his lips. The smile left Orochimaru’s face suddenly and he whipped his head to the Temple door, it flew open and Gai came rushing in. “Kakashi.” Orochimaru hissed.

Iruka knew that Demons couldn’t enter another Demon’s Temples. Kakashi had send Gai to rescue him. What could Gai do though? This was a Demon!

Orochimaru turned toward the door, away from Iruka, and a serpent darted out of his sleeve. Iruka just had time to yell, “look out!” before one of those stray dogs from home bit into the snake’s neck, just below its head.

Another dog, a massive bulldog, was running back towards them. It headbutted Orochimaru, turned to Iruka and said, “run, sensei.”

Iruka didn’t even think about the fact that a dog just spoke to him, he just started sprinting toward Gai and the door. Kakashi would help. Kakashi would know what to do.

Iruka was in the doorway when he heard the hissing scream. There were more dogs, where they came from, Iruka wouldn’t know, but there were about 5 of them. They were distracting Orochimaru’s snakes, allowing for his escape.

Gai looked shocked at the blood on Iruka’s face, and the bruising on his neck, “are you OK Iruka-sensei?”

Iruka’s eyes weren’t on Gai though, they were on Kakashi. He was there. In the middle of the square in front of the Temple. He was doing something to Naruto, who was no longer gagged or bound. He looked OK.

“Where is Mizuki?” Iruka asked. Gai looked confused at that and shook his head. Iruka ran to Naruto just as Orochimaru burst out of the door.

“Kakashi!” Orochimaru hissed, Kakashi laid Naruto gently on the cobblestone.

“He will be OK Iruka, I need to take care of something.” Kakashi squeezed Iruka’s hand, lifted his headband, and opened his other eye. It was red. So, blood red it made Iruka think he was injured, but the more he looked at it the more beautiful it became, like a rose in full bloom. There was a painful looking scar that ran down his lid as well. It looked very violent. Iruka wanted to make Kakashi feel better. He wanted to kiss that scar and take away all Kakashi’s troubles. The thought threw Iruka, and he shook it from his head.

Kakashi ran to Orochinaru and started to engage in battle.

Iruka reached Naruto’s side. He looked up at his sensei, eyes wide with wonder.

“The Demons are here! Iruka, they are here, I can just see them, like smoke. The grey haired one is ours, right? He helped me.” Naruto was watching the scene.

Iruka tried to say yes, but he couldn’t get it passed his tongue. Naruto seemed fine. Iruka pulled the boy into a tight hug instead of responding.

“Iruka-sensei,” Gai looked sad to interrupt such a precious moment, he even had tears in his eyes, “we need to get going. I have been commanded to escort you and Naruto immediately back to the village. We don’t want to stay any longer than necessary and rouse suspicion. We are in a tentative peace right now and can’t risk it falling apart before we get to properly refortify.”

Iruka looked at the two demon’s battling and nodded. He didn’t want to stay here any longer either. If Kakashi was here, he could handle it. Kakashi had told him he was one of the strongest Demon’s there were. His heart still clenched as he turned away, back toward home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary for those skipping:  
> Iruka wakes up in the Temple of Orochimaru. He is coerced into agreeing to have sex with him because Mizuki had threated Naruto, and the other orphans. To add drama, Orochimaru has his snake bite Naruto, causing some kind if change to start happening. Iruka freaks out and agrees. Before anything real happens, Gai bursts in to save the day. Iruka escapes, Kakashi has healed Naruto, and Kakashi demands Gai, Iruka, and Naruto head back to the village immediately. Kakashi heads to battle Orochimaru, to distract him so they can escape.


	11. Botched Escape Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 11 Warnings:  
> Iruka being a BAMF is my only warning.

Gai, Iruka, and Naruto were making their way out of the village through the surrounding woods when Iruka felt it. They hadn’t made it far, may be 5 minutes jogging. Iruka felt his heart drop, like he missed a step going down the stairs of his apartment. It was much more intense though.

He knew it was something to do with Kakashi. Something bad. “Gai, keep Naruto safe!” Iruka said and turned around, he had to help Kakashi. If Kakashi died, they would be taken over by Otogakure anyway, his fate and the village’s fate would be the same.

As Iruka made it to the tree line next to the Temple he saw Kakashi on his knees, wrapped in a snake. Kakashi’s dogs were biting and gnawing on the snake’s scales but couldn’t seem to get a good hold. 

“No,” Iruka said as he made for the Demons, not sure what he could do to help, but he couldn’t sit and watch Kakashi be obliterated.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Mizuki was on him, gripping him from behind in a bear-hug. “Let this happen Iruka, the villages will be at peace, your best friend will be the Leader, and you’ll be the Bride. We can rule the village. We can make more funds go to the school and the orphanage. Just think about all the good we can do.”

Iruka closed his eyes. Mizuki was a snake. He sided with a snake and he was one. He was using Iruka’s attachments against him. Iruka knew that Mizuki cared nothing for the children, orphaned or otherwise. He would just use his power to try and gain more power. He would probably start more wars. This had to end here.

Iruka feigned resignation. Mizuki lessened his grip a little, turning Iruka in his arms so they were facing one another. “See? I knew you would see reason.” Mizuki smiled at Iruka. It was the same crocked smile he always gave Iruka. Now Iruka could see it for what it truly was. Vile deception.

Iruka smiled back. He heard the crackling twittering of birds, he felt static behind him, where the Demons were battling. He glanced to the scene, seeing Kakashi still trapped and Orochimaru building a snake out of lightning. It was now or never.

“Goodbye, friend.” Iruka said as he reared his head back and slammed it into Mizuki’s. Iruka saw stars for a moment, but he was prepared, Naruto headbutted him regularly, so he was used to it. Mizuki let go of Iruka, gripping his forehead in pain as he fell to the ground, forehead bleeding beneath his fingers.

Iruka used this opening to sprint toward Kakashi.

Orochinaru put his hands together, as if in prayer, it caused his lightning snake to jump toward Kakashi right as Iruka jumped in front of his husband.

Iruka felt a piercing stab, and then he felt his whole-body sizzle. It was as if the snake had penetrated the skin of his back and was writhing throughout his body. It was like getting ten thousand electric shocks, but strangely painless. Iruka gritted his teeth, trying to bear the feel of it.

“Iruka! What are you doing here?!” Kakashi asked, flabbergasted at the sight of his Partner alight with electric charges.

“I’m here to protect you.” Iruka said through clenched teeth, turning around toward Orochimaru. The Demon looked shocked at Iruka, who glowed like the sun.

Iruka felt the power within him surge as he turned to his foe. He knew what to do. With the same prayer hand signal Orochimaru had used, the power within him jumped out, straight toward its new target, Orochimaru.

The Demon screamed as the powerful attack he had mustered for Kakashi was turned on him. It hit him in the gut. He bent over with a groan, his snake loosened its hold on Kakashi, slithering back to its master.

Kakashi took less than a second from when he was freed to jump into action, making his hand into a knife of pure lightning, and piercing Orochimaru through the heart. He was fast as a flash. One blink he was next to Iruka, the next, he put a hole through Orochimaru’s heart.

The snake Demon fell from Kakashi’s grip like a rag doll.

Iruka fell to his knees with relief. Kakashi turned when he heard the crack of Iruka’s knees painfully hitting the ground and rushed over to him.

“You were beautiful, Iruka. Are you OK? I’ve never known that a Partner could do that.” Kakashi kneeled on the cobblestone next to Iruka.

“Is it over?” Iruka had tunnel vision, he had to know his nightmare was over. The Demon wasn’t moving, but it had told him that Demons were hard to kill.

Kakashi looked at Iruka, bringing his hand over Iruka’s forehead, feeling the lump that was forming there. He then moved his hand down to the blood on his chin, and then to the bruising on his neck. “Are you OK?”

Iruka looked up at Kakashi with a glare, “I’ll be better if I know this Demon won’t accost me ever again.”

Kakashi smirked under his mask, closing his left eye and pulling his blank metal band down over it again. “I will have to remember not to accost you, if that is the result.” Iruka blushed and huffed, amused smirk playing at his lips. Kakashi couldn’t look away from his lips.

Their moment passed when Gai and Naruto approached. “Take him home Gai. Please make sure he gets to the Temple and stays there until I return. The bed is still there, and other people can come in and stay with him.” Gai nodded, face very serious. “Thank you.”

“Iruka, you don’t have to worry, I will take care of Orochimaru. He will no longer be a problem for you, me, or our village.” Kakashi directed this to Iruka, who nodded. Confident that Kakashi could take it from there. He smiled softly when Kakashi said “our village”. He mouthed the words as Gai drew closer.

“You used my move, Iruka!!” Naruto said as he ran up to his big brother. It broke the serious atmosphere around the adults. Naruto was a little taller than Iruka was on his knees, and he wrapped his arms around Iruka’s neck, preventing him from getting up. It caused Iruka to wince slightly as Naruto pressed his bruising. The boy had the sense enough to loosen his grip. “Sorry! Oh, you are hurt.”

“You all need to get out of here.” Kakashi said, turning back to the body on the cobblestone. He smiled at Iruka and got up, making his way to the corpse.

“You better treat Iruka better! I’m watching you!” Naruto yelled at Kakashi’s back, pointing his finger directly at the Demon.

Kakashi laughed, “he got your moxie. I think that he should train under Jiraiya at the Temple. He may make a great Sage one day.” Iruka nodded, knowing that Naruto really wanted to be the Leader, not a Sage, but maybe some training with a different teacher would do Naruto good.

“What did he say, Iruka?!” Naruto seemed upset and both Gai and Iruka laughed at him.

“Naruto! Use that youthful energy and help Iruka up. We should get going from this village. We are trespassing.” Gai exclaimed as quietly as he could. It was anyone else’s normal volume.

Naruto listened immediately, allowing himself to act as leverage for Iruka to stand. Once on his feet Iruka felt fine. He was exhausted, but he was OK. The lightning had only burned the clothing on his back, and he couldn’t feel any pain from it.

Gai led them back toward the woods next to the Temple. There they found Mizuki, to Iruka’s surprise, unconscious, bound, and gagged.

“We found him nursing a powerful head-wound and so he was easy to overtake.” Gai explained, grabbing their prisoner and slinging him over his broad shoulder.

It took more than four hours of walking to get back to their village. Iruka was exhausted even two hours in when they crossed the bridge officially separating the two lands effortlessly.

\--

“How did you make this walk last night Naruto?” Iruka asked as they approached the village gate. It was 5 hours after the began their slow arduous journey back home. They had to stay off the main roads and cross the wide river officially separating the two lands at a shallow point.

Iruka had taken the boy on his back when his smaller legs started to shake from his own exhaustion. Keeping pace with adults was not an easy task, and his leg wound wasn’t completely healed. He was in and out of consciousness most of the walk, clinging loosely to Iruka’s wounded neck.

“I was so worried about you Iruka! I saw some big monster grab you, and Mizuki, that bastard, told me we could save you. I didn’t go far until Mizuki knocked me out. I just wanted to help you, but… you’re so important!” Naruto stopped talking then. Placing his head on Iruka’s shoulder from behind, crying lightly into his shirt.

“You scared me, but I’m so happy to know I have such a strong, brave boy protecting me.” Iruka said, trying to comfort his little brother. Naruto wiggled to be put down. They were very close to the village gate now, so Naruto probably wanted to walk in on his own.

Asuma was rushing toward them suddenly, flying out of the front gate of Konohagakure. Iruka couldn’t hear a word the man was yelling. Just as soon as he set Naruto down, he felt his vision swarm, his stomach churning. The last 24 hours rushed through his mind all at once.

Iruka passed out right then and there.


	12. An Unexpected Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 12 warnings:  
> Angsty feelings and mentally reliving some painful recent events...? My warnings have become ridiculous.

Iruka blinked open his eyes. To his surprise, Tsunade was the one to great him. She brought a cup of water to his lips and forced Iruka to drink the whole thing down.

Iruka was back in the Temple of Hatake, on his fluffy futon. Iruka was no longer in his dirty, wet clothes, dressed instead in a robe much like the ones left for him weeks ago.

“You must have gone through quite the shock to have fainted like that.” Tsunade packed up some medical supplies, Iruka noticed then that his neck was coated in some slick salve and wrapped in bandaging. As he wiggled up into a seated position, he felt the same treatment on his back and chest, the wrapping went all around his torso.

“I feel fine, there’s no need for all this…” Iruka began, but Tsunade silenced him with a raised hand.

“You nearly get choked to death, blood all over your face, and a black mysterious scar on your back, and you don’t think you need any medical help? Please. Don’t patronize me.” Tsunade said as she finished packing and stood up.

“If you are so fine, you can take care of yourself I suppose.” She huffed and walked away from the bed and out the Temple.

Iruka felt bad. He hadn’t meant to upset her.

“Ah, young one, don’t worry about the old bat.” Iruka’s eyes widened at the rude comment, he turned to find Jiraiya staring longing after the Lady. If his novels were any indication, Jiraiya had a thing for big breasted blondes. Iruka now knew the source.

“She left you a pitcher of more water. Do you think you can sit up? I was hoping to get a better look at that scar of yours. It looked like it was done by lightning.” Jiraiya looked into Iruka’s eyes, for a sign he was correct.

Iruka just barely got a nod out. He couldn’t speak of the incident to anyone but Gai and Kakashi. Iruka ignored the voice in the back of his head that added Mizuki. He wanted to forget that name.

Jiraiya would have to guess if the nod was to him being able to stand or to his lightning question.

Iruka started to get up. His legs were slightly shaky from the long trek, but he felt much better. It looked like it was just after sunset. He must have been out only a few hours.

Iruka still had his underwear on, so he felt OK taking the robe off and allowing Jiraiya to remove the bandages around his torso. “Amazing,” was all he could say as he stared at the scar.

“Do you want to draw it or something? I’m not sure if it will heal or change, maybe you will want a record?” Iruka suggested, feeling a little cold and exposed as the old man prodded and poked at his back.

“Great idea! I’ll be back with my supplies.”

Iruka sat for the drawing, Asuma had come in shortly after Jiraiya returned with his pencils. Asuma had brought Iruka’s favorite book with him, thinking the young man may want some entertainment while he waited in the Temple.

Asuma wasn’t sure why Iruka needed to stay here, but Gai requested guards at the doors again, and when Iruka woke up and didn’t try to leave, he figured it was Demon business and left it alone. He was just happy to have Iruka back and safe after being informed that morning that his brother was missing.

“Do you need anything else?” Asuma asked.

“Ramen?” Iruka asked excitedly. The last time he was trapped in the temple, he got ramen, cold, hours old ramen, but still.

Asuma laughed. “I should have known,” he said as he walked out of the Temple, presumably to get him his ramen. Iruka opened his favorite book, almost forgetting the Sage drawing his back until the man exclaimed, “finished!”

Iruka turned then, he was curious what the marking looked like. He couldn’t see his own back after all and had yet to make his way to the mirror in the bathroom.

Jiraiya held up the picture. He was talented, the muscles of Iruka’s back looked fairly realistic, though that seemed like a detail that was unnecessary.

The scar was black as a new moon night. There was a small circle surrounded by thousands of small, lightning bolt shaped protrusions going in all directions away from the center. It almost looked like a cartoon drawing of a sun.

“Wow, that looks like it hurts.” Iruka said. He wiggled his back experimentally, reaching behind him to feel the marks. None of those actions hurt him in the least. He craned his neck to try and see, but was immediately reminded that he was injured still, just not on the back. He would have to make do with the drawing for now.

“Does it?” Jiraiya watched as Iruka wiggled, making notes in an official looking scroll.

“Not even a little.”

“Did it? When it happened?”

Iruka tried to recall the lightning piercing his back. Had it hurt? At the time, the shock of the feeling was not pleasant. “It felt weird. I would say no it didn’t hurt. When the lightning was inside me, it felt like a thousand tiny electric shocks, then when I…” Iruka couldn’t continue. He couldn’t mention using the lightning to attack Orochimaru.

“I understand. Don’t worry. That was more than I thought I would get.” Jiraiya wrote down his notes and put away his scroll.

Asuma walked into the Temple and placed four take-out bowls of ramen on the table still set up (or re-set up) from the ceremony.

“Come here Iruka. We should talk,” Asuma said, Hiruzen walked in as well, sitting gracefully by one of the bowls. Asuma took a seat next to his father, and Iruka took his seat across from Asuma. Jiraiya sat next to Iruka at the last bowl. Asume glared at Jiraiya, “that is actually not for you.”

Jiraiya pouted, huffed, and left back to his office. Iruka laughed quietly at the childish reaction from the old, respectable Sage, wondering who the fourth would be, when Gai bounced into the room.

“You called for me, General?” Gai called and he stood at attention next to the table.

“Please, Gai, just call me Asuma off the battlefield. Hiruzen and I need to know some details.” Asuma gestured to the table and Gai sat in front of his bowl, drooling as he smelled the delicious broth.

Iruka dug into his bowl, not used to waiting when with his make-shift family. Everyone followed suit.

Gai finished first and smacked his lips giving a wide mouthed, “ahhh.”

“You have the mark.” Hiruzen said calmly, looking right at Gai, his own bowl almost empty as well. “Interesting. I doubt you had that before yesterday?”

Gai shook his head. “I was needed to help Iruka.” Gai looked like he wanted to say more, to burst from his seams with declarations in his normal manner but couldn’t.

“We need to start from the beginning, so just don’t worry about it Gai.” Asuma said, looking over at Iruka, who just finished his bowl.

Iruka sighed, “fine, I understand. So, it began with Mizuki pounding on my door sometime well before dawn, but not so close to when I went to bed around midnight.” Iruka took a leveling breath. “He said something was wrong with Naruto in the woods outside the orphanage. I believed him and sprinted there. It was stupid, I didn’t see Naruto and went deeper into the woods, screaming his name.” Iruka knew that he had drawn Naruto into all this by calling his name. Guilt bubbled in his chest.

“When I passed the boarder of the village, there was some kind of hypnotic flute playing. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t speak.” He tried to recall the tune, but nothing of the sound could be recalled.

“A tan, dark haired man with four arms tried to apprehend me first. I countered him. A large man with orange hair attacked me next. He was very strong. I dislocated his shoulder, but it didn’t stop him. He snapped it back into place like it was child’s play.” Iruka could still recall the pop vividly. At least some sound was still in his mind, though he wished it was the music instead.

“There were twins who finally tripped me, they surrounded me. The orange haired man chocked me… He lifted me off the ground… I blanked out then.” Iruka looked away from his dinner companions. He wasn’t a fighter but was still ashamed of his weakness. It put everyone he loved in danger.

“Iruka,” Gai started, “that description matches the sound four. They are notorious. I’ve never known someone to fight off Jirōbō, the orange haired one, before. You dislocated his shoulder? Very impressive!” Gai slapped Iruka’s back in a friendly manner. It made Iruka feel slightly better.

“Please, go on,” Hiruzen said, hands steepled in front of his face.

Iruka nodded and continued. “I woke up in the Temple.” Iruka wanted to tell them everything. He wanted them to know his mistakes so they could berate him for being so stupid. He wanted them to know how close they came to having that evil monster as their “protector” and having a different evil monster take over as Leader.

Instead Iruka felt tears fall down his cheeks. He couldn’t say any of his guilt. He couldn’t let them know they were almost ripped from power and exiled because of Iruka. Because of the orphan that they had raised and treated with love.

The tears fell harder, uncontrollable.

Gai, ever the knight in shining armor, jumped in, “I rushed in before high noon. I ran to Otogakaru, making my best time yet between the villages, only 2 and a half hours.” Asuma nodded, impressed, but still worried at Iruka trying to keep himself together.

“I stopped….” Gai almost got something out. “I got Iruka out.” Gai was finally able to grit out.

“In our escape, we ran into Mizuki, who had apparently used Naruto to try and manipulate Iruka in some way I do not know. He had injured Naruto somehow.”

Iruka looked at Hiruzen. He didn’t want to get Naruto involved anymore, but he didn’t have the tattoo. He could speak freely. “You should ask Naruto,” was all he could say, both due to the tattoo burning in his mouth and the tears making his throat dry.

As if he were summoned, Naruto rushed into the Temple.

“Iruka!! I heard you woke up. I was worried, but then I fell asleep too. But I’m awake now. I wanted to see you right away!”

Naruto approached the adults, boldly without preamble he sat right in Iruka’s lap and hugged him. He then looked around himself, at the bowls on the table and the other occupants of the room.

“How dare you.” Naruto glared at Iruka. It didn’t have any real heat behind it, more adorable then scary. “You are eating ramen without me?!” Naruto jumped out of Iruka’s lap pointing accusingly at Iruka.

Iruka erupted into a fit of laughter. He laughed so hard he cried more, these tears he was very OK with.

The others just watched the exchange in wonder. Naruto and Iruka were quite a pair.

“Naruto,” Hiruzen began, causing the boy to meet his eyes, “I will buy you ramen if you sit with us now and answer some questions about today.”

“Today? You mean about how Iruka totally zapped the crap out of that other Demon guy?! I can’t believe my teacher can use lightning! So awesome.”

Hiruzen’s eyes widened marginally. Asuma nearly chocked on the last of his noodles. Gai and Iruka just sat unable to confirm the statement. “Now, Naruto, you know that’s a bit of an exaggeration.” Iruka managed to word it enough to get out.

“No, evil Demon-ghost blasted our Demon-ghost, but you like… turned it around on him. How did you do that Iruka?! Can I do that?! Can you teach me?!?” Naruto was bouncing with excitement. 

“He can’t answer that, Naruto,” Asuma looked annoyed, but highly interested in what powers Iruka seemed to have. He was a military man after all.

“Don’t give me that look, Asuma! You know I will not fight. The kids need me.” Iruka said, hoping his closest people would not try and use him in any fighting! He didn’t know if he could do anything of the sort again and really didn’t want to find out.

“Naruto, could you start from the beginning, when you left the orphanage last night and go from there?” Hiruzen asked calmly.

Naruto swelled with pride. The Leader was asking him to give a report! Like he was an adult and important. He wouldn’t let him down.

“Well, I heard Iruka yell my name. Normally that means trouble, but it sounded important, and I was just asleep, so I figured I wasn’t in trouble. I thought, ‘I should go see what’s up’. It sounded like Iruka was in the woods, which he always tells us to stay out of at night, so I thought that was hypo… hipa… messed up of him.” Naruto wanted to sound smart! It was OK, he would bounce back. No more big word attempts.

“I went as far as the border marker, Iruka would really get mad if I followed him outside the line I figured. I was there, and I could just make out some giant dude holding Iruka up by his neck!!” Naruto looked at Iruka’s bandages wincing.

“Three guys and one girl then took Iruka away. I got scared but thought I should go tell someone in the orphanage.”

Iruka nodded, “that’s right, get a responsible adult.”

“But then Mizuki walked up and acted like we needed to follow you right away. He said something like if we follow you and figure out where they took you, we could get help. It made sense.” Iruka nodded at Naruto, trying to encourage him. The boy did nothing wrong and he almost died for it.

“Well, Mizuki and me ran for a while, he gave me a piggyback ride for most of it, saying I was taking too long. Then we were really close to the bad guys and I tried to tell him that. He didn’t listen. Then we were right next to the bad guys! They were happy to see Mizuki.”

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. “Someone knocked me out then. I can’t remember what happened, but then we were in some small room. Mizuki gagged me and tied my hands! It was awful.

“I heard voices outside the door, but my head was all fuzzy, so I didn’t stand up. I thought I heard you Iruka, so I figured it would all be OK.”

Iruka’s heart jumped in his throat. Naruto didn’t deserve what happened next.

“Mizuki took me out into a Temple like this,” Naruto gestured around him, “and Iruka looked really sad and SUPER angry. They were talking about Iruka doing something or some evil Demon would kill me. I couldn’t see or hear any Demon then, but he must have been there. I don’t know what he wanted from you, Iruka, but I knew you would do what was right.” Naruto nodded, hoping to cheer Iruka up, but his words just caused fresh tears to fall.

“It’s OK Iruka! Well,” Naruto looked away from Iruka. He didn’t want to mess up his first official report, and Iruka’s crying was distracting. “Well, evil Demon must have done something, I couldn’t really see before, but there was a pain on my ankle and Iruka ran to me, sucking the blood out of some weird cuts.”

Naruto lifted his pant leg and showed the adults the two puncture wounds, they looked like they were from a snake, so Iruka was sure that Asuma and Hiruzen would understand.

“I can’t really remember what happened after. I just know I was taken outside because I woke up and there was this stray dog that is always outside the orphanage. It was licking my ankle. I thought it was weird that Iruka was just drinking my blood for some reason and now a dog was too.”

“Naruto you idiot, I was trying to su…” Why couldn’t Iruka say what he was doing!? How infuriating. What did that have to do with the Demons?

“I think Iruka is trying to say that this is a snake bite, and it is well known by our citizens that if you are bitten by a poisonous snake, you are supposed to suck out the poison.” Asuma provided the details Iruka couldn’t. Iruka looked thankfully at Asuma. He should have been able to say that. He had to work on his wording.

“Well, I knew he wasn’t doing anything bad! Iruka wouldn’t ever hurt me or any of us.” Iruka felt he didn’t deserve the praise but took it, tired of tears.

“Anyway, I felt much better. I saw a shadow with grey hair move away from me, to where Iruka was. Gai was there too, which was weird.” Gai looked like he wanted to explain his presence but couldn’t. He was wiggling on his cushion.

“Then our Demon, I guessed the grey ghost was our Demon since he got close to Gai and Iruka, he ran to the white ghost, I guessed that was the evil demon since he came out of the Temple, and they fought. Iruka and Gai came up to me. Gai said we had to run away, so we started to. Then Iruka turned back. It was really dumb. Iruka always tells me to listen to the adults, and Gai is older, so Iruka should have listened.”

Iruka smiled despite himself, eyes closed, picturing the story as Naruto told it. He really had a way with words.

“Anyway, I guess it’s OK if HE does it!” Iruka’s eyes were still closed so he missed Naruto’s cute glare. “So, Gai and I turned back too. We found Mizuki with a really bloody forehead. Iruka totally used my move on him. I knew it was a good move!”

Iruka opened his eyes, looked at Naruto, and nodded, “yes, it was a really good move. I’m really grateful you taught it to me, Naruto. You saved the day really.” Iruka deadpanned the last part, but Naruto took the praise and puffed up like a peacock. It made Iruka smile wider. Naruto hadn’t changed at all. The ordeal was clearly not as bad for the boy as Iruka thought it would be. He let go of a little of the guilt clutching his heart.

“So then, Gai tied up Mizuki and knocked him out with some really cool flying kick! It was awesome. Mizuki really sucked. Anyway, we then saw Iruka, he got zapped with lightning or something. It sounded like thunder anyway. It was hard to see for me. I couldn’t really make much out, but the demons were there, and Iruka looked like he was blocking something from hitting our Demon. Then he turned around and he was glowing! There were all these zaps and sparks on his skin! It was crazy. Then he made this hand sign,” Naruto made the prayer shape with his hands, pointing only his first two fingers up while lacing the other fingers together. “Then all the glowing left him and hit the evil guy. Then our demon punched him or something, and the evil guy fell.”

Jiraiya had joined them at some point with his scroll and pen, taking some notes. Naruto didn’t notice until Jiraiya spoke up, “punch? Is there any other detail you can remember?”

Naruto looked at the Sage critically. Iruka cleared his throat and nodded encouragingly to Naruto. Naruto took that as an endorsement of the Sage, and continued, “well, the hand, it’s hard for me to make out their bodies all the way, but his hand was sparkly. It looked like it went right through the evil one.”

“This is great!” The Sage exclaimed. “Last time the records show Otogakure’s Demon falling we had 250 years of peace. We should try the treaty again.” Jiraiya directed this to Hiruzen who looked reflectively at the Sage.

“Oh, and Mizuki could see the evil Demon and talk to him. Does that mean he had the tattoo too?” Naruto interrupted.

Jiraiya leapt, “the traitor had the tattoo? Does he still?! This is vital! If he lost the tattoo, the Demon who gave it is dead.”

The room became silent at that. Iruka straightened sharply at that news. He would always know if Kakashi was alive by his tattoo? It seemed it had a benefit for him after all.

“That means, if it’s gone, we can interrogate Mizuki to figure out why he did it,” Asuma asserted. He had that glint in his eye. Iruka knew that meant he would get what he was looking for, Asuma was a very determined man. Mizuki didn’t know what he was in for. Iruka felt no pity.

“He wanted power, Asuma,” Iruka started. It didn’t have anything to do with the demons so he should be able to give this away at least. “He wanted to become the Leader, to kick you all out of power. He probably was going to start a world war to take over every village and become some supreme Leader. He was mad. Raving! How else could you explain why he would…” Iruka was about to say partner with such evil. It was about the Demons so, he was stopped. Instead he ended with, “why he would kidnap me.”

“Perhaps he can explain why doing that would bring him certain victory.” Hiruzen said as he made to stand. “We need to know how to protect you, Iruka.”

Iruka looked at Hiruzen with gratitude, but also trying to convey that he would fix this. He would fix the problem as soon as possible. He would never put his village in danger again. He couldn’t say anything about the details, but he could get out, “don’t worry, Hiruzen-sama. I can fix it.”

Hiruzen nodded, “either way, we want to know how best to handle this situation. Anyway, I’ll let you rest. I hope you heal quickly. Naruto, let’s get you that ramen and let Iruka rest.”

Naruto yelped in excitement. “Yes! I’ll see you tomorrow Iruka, OK? Feel better.” Naruto’s smile was so bright it made Iruka feel hopeful again.

Asuma got up as well, “Gai? Coming? I’ll spar with you if you are up for it.” Normally Gai would jump for a sparring session, however, Gai stayed seated.

“Your offer is very tempting, but I will stay and talk to Iruka alone for a moment if you don’t mind.” Gai smiled at Asuma and gave him a thumbs up.

“Another time then,” Asuma said looking between Gai and Iruka skeptically. They both shooed him away.

Gai and Iruka stared at Jiraiya, he was writing ferociously in his scroll. Iruka cleared his throat.

“Umm, Jiraiya-sage, do you mind… umm… leaving?” Jiraiya looked up at that.

“Oh, yes, of course. I just saw a scroll detailing that we must listen to the Bride on who is allowed in the Temple. It was strange, I had never seen it before, but it looked very legitimate. Technically, the Bride is the second owner of the Temple after Hatake, what with them being married and all.”

“Yes, thank you Jiraiya-sage,” Iruka said, rolling his eyes, hoping the man would leave without calling him Bride again. He wondered how long it would take to get them all on board with Partner. Perhaps he can convince Kakashi to write another scroll.

The old man nodded and left to his office. He put the scrolls away presumably, and then left the Temple emptyhanded.

As soon as the Temple was empty, Iruka and Gai felt their tongues loosen.

“Iruka,” Gai began, worry in his eyes, “are you truly OK? Kakashi didn’t tell me much. I didn’t hear what Orochimaru was saying, but it didn’t look good when I came in. I won’t pry if you don’t want, but I can try and control what they get out of Mizuki, make sure it doesn’t make it out of the prison, make sure the gossip hounds don’t get anything.”

Iruka looked in Gai’s sincere eyes and felt relief. “Don’t worry, Gai. I’m fine now. I will fix it. I can fix it.”

“But are you OK?”

“I’ll be better when Kakashi comes back.”

Gai had tears streaming down his face, it shocked Iruka for a moment. “Your love and youth are shining! It was inspiring to see you leap in the way of that attack. It made me swear I would train even harder to protect the village and her inhabitants.”

“Can you protect it from me?” Iruka’s voice wavered at Gai’s confused look. “I put the village in peril. I’m ‘unlatched’ because of my stupid, big mouth, and it put the whole village in trouble. I didn’t know it though! I didn’t know what is really meant to be the Partner. Why didn’t Kakashi tell me?” Iruka looked sadly at Gai, he didn’t want to cry anymore. He knew he would fix it!

“Iruka, Mizuki tricked you. Mizuki and Orochimaru used you, and though I’m not sure what for still, they were evil, and I know, we all know, you are not evil.”

“Gai, I wish I could remove the guilt I’m feeling. Because of my anger, I didn’t… consummate the marriage. It meant that he wasn’t officially our protector. It meant that I was ‘prime’ for another Demon to take control the village.” Iruka hung his head in shame.

“Iruka! That’s horrible. Orochimaru was trying to… have sex with you? He was going to force you? Kakashi would never force you, and so he is more worthy. I am so happy we found you in time. With or without Orochimaru taking over the village, you didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t let anybody have sex with you unless you are ready!” Gai sounded so sincere.

“No, Gai, it’s OK. Really, I will complete my responsibility,” Iruka looked determined.

“No. Iruka, I will not allow Kakashi to take advantage of you! He wouldn’t, he’s our protector and my worthy rival.”

“Gai,” Iruka started, holding up his hand to try and stop the passionate, chivalrous rant. “No, really Gai, it’s OK. I… I want to.” Iruka whispered the last part, admitting it to himself for the first time as well.

Gai was struck silent. “Oh. Well, then. That’s great!” Clearly he was trying to cover for his shock but was doing a poor job.

“I am feeling extremely tired now. Would you mind if we continued this chat another time?” Iruka was actually feeling more embarrassed than tired, his face tingled like it was sunburnt, and probably looked it too, with the intensity of his blush.

Gai had the decency to look sheepish, “of course Iruka! Get your rest. I’ll take my leave. The Leader and Asuma have made another post at the Temple doors, so feel safe and sleep well.” Gai bowed low. It embarrassed Iruka to no end, he felt even more flush coloring his cheeks.

“Gai, please, we are friends! Don’t bow.” Iruka tried to wave Gai away.

“Of course, my noble friend and Bri…Partner of my eternal rival.” Gai bowed, quickly and not so low this time before he ran out the Temple doors.

‘What an embarrassing man,’ Iruka thought, but he also couldn’t stop the smile pulling on his lips. What a day. Iruka knew he should get some real sleep. Hopefully Kakashi would be back tomorrow and he can finally relax. Well, not relax exactly, but it will be a weight off his mind.

Iruka cleaned up the table, mad at all the men involved for not picking up any of their mess. He dropped the bowls in a pile next to the table, not feeling up to washing anything but himself. He looked around the washroom, deciding to take a relaxing bath. If there were any day he needed it, it was today.

Iruka washed before he soaked, trying desperately to relax. He felt a little better and he wasn’t sure if it was due to washing the grim of the day off of him, or the warm soak. He found the replacement salve and bandages by the bed when he was done bathing. He gingerly treated his neck and chest but didn’t bother putting anything on his back. It felt fine after all. The chest wound didn’t hurt too much either, but his neck was throbbing lightly.

As good as it felt to clean off the physical remnants of his horrible day, it did not remove the memories from his mind. Iruka laid down on the comfortable pillows, in his soft sleep robe, but he could not fall asleep. He tried some deep breathing, and it calmed him down. Four seconds in through his nose, hold for four second, out through the mouth for six seconds.

As Iruka breathed in and out he felt his mind become a little clearer. He was finally giving into his exhaustion when the tension in his brow released, he felt safe for the first time in 24 hours. It was as if he was being wrapped in strong, protective arms. With one last breath out, he fell into a deep, restorative, sleep.


	13. Making Things Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 13 warnings:  
> none. Just some amusing humor at Yamato's expense haha.

Kakashi worried his lip as he burned the snake in the woods outside Konohagakura. With Orochimaru gone, there was a power vacuum. Orochimaru had no heir to inherit the village. That meant any Demon could go in and try and claim Otogakure. Kakashi had a short list of the demons he wanted to take over his neighbor. Ones that would prioritize peace. He had to play this just right. He had to get word out quickly to his allies.

He also had a date he was going to be very late for. He sent off his dogs, tired as they were, to alert his allies to meet at the stone. He himself, went back to his Temple. He had to see Iruka if only for a moment.

When he entered the building, he could practically see the cloud of anxiety over Iruka as he laid in bed.

Kakashi approached cautiously and slipped in next to Iruka. Last time he was in this position, Iruka bodily threw him out. Kakashi wouldn’t make the same mistake again. This time, he wrapped one arm around Iruka’s waist, and rested his head on Iruka’s shoulder. He breathed Iruka in, he smelt clean. Kakashi smiled, the man deserved a relaxing bath at least. There were also bowls of finished ramen on the table, so Kakashi knew his date was taken over by someone else.

Iruka melted into Kakashi’s touch. He opened his arms, pulling Kakashi’s body over his own. Kakashi’s head landed on Iruka’s chest, and Iruka’s arm wrapped around Kakashi’s back. Iruka was out cold after that movement. Kakashi wished he could stay wrapped in Iruka’s embrace forever.

Kakashi stroked Iruka’s chest, his hand just barely going under the lapel of the robe, feeling the soft skin there. There was a small tuft of hair in the center of his chest and Kakashi found himself surprised by how much he enjoyed the feel of it. Kakashi reached his hand up Iruka’s chest, feeling his jaw and the stubble that had grown over the course of the day.

Kakashi didn’t expect his young Bride to be so hairy. He found that he liked the feel of it. He liked this feeling, of being wrapped in strong arms. Being draped over his own protector. Iruka was his savior after all.

Kakashi closed his eyes, visualizing the way Iruka glowed when the lightning hit him. Kakashi felt more scared in that moment than any other. Partners were supposed to be immune to the elemental attacks. He was supposed to protect his Partner, and when the lightening hit Iruka’s back and he was tied and helpless, he couldn’t bear the thought that he had failed Iruka.

But then Iruka was glowing with power. He looked beautiful, stunning, like looking into the sun itself. Kakashi, from his trapped prison, could only look on with awe, he would never forget the feeling. Kakashi turned his head, kissing Iruka’s pec that he was currently using as a pillow.

As Kakashi brought his hand back down Iruka’s jaw, he felt the bandages on his neck. He would never let this man come to any harm, ever again. It would have been so easy for Orochimaru’s minions to snuff out his Partner. With or without the latching, Kakashi felt it. He knew that Iruka was his, and he was Iruka’s. He never felt this way about a Partner before and it scared him a little.

Being a Demon, Kakashi didn’t need sleep, what he needed was to collect himself, so, he reluctantly left the warmth of Iruka’s embrace. He had to figure out who would take over Otogakure before someone took it by force. The people there weren’t used to a real protector. They didn’t know there were good Demons out there and they deserved better.

Kakashi transported to the meeting stone. The stone was used as a meeting point for his allies. His trusted Demons could quickly transport there as long as they placed their marks on it. Anywhere properly marked could be used as a transport point.

Originally it was only a memorial stone full of past Partners’ names. Kakashi normally added his partner’s names with little emotion to the smooth face. He thought about putting Iruka’s name on that stone one day and his heart clenched. He shouldn’t think about this when he was about to meet with Demons, good or bad as they were, one shouldn’t show weakness.

Rin was the first to show up. She was quickly followed by Obito. They were partners, which meant neither took a village, as they were bound to one another. Kakashi nodded to them in greeting.

“Really Kakashi? After all our years, you send a dog for us? What could be so important?” Obito complained. He always complained.

“Now, now, Obi, let’s give him a chance.” Rin smiled at Kakashi. Obito pouted, somehow, still jealous even though he and Rin were bonded. Kakashi just rolled his eyes.

Next to show up was Tenzō. Tenzō was a newer Demon, he was once a human, taken in by a Demon called Danzō when he was just a baby. Danzō experimented on him, trying to create a Demon who was powerful and bound to him, not like Rin and Obito, but more like a slave. It failed, and Tenzō escaped with the help of Kakashi.

They acknowledged one another as Anko appeared. She had trained under Orochimaru, probably the closest thing to a successor. She realized his cruelty though, 250 years ago when he started his previous power grab, but she remained close to him as a spy for Kakashi. While Orochimaru was healing from Kakashi’s attack, she had tried to help Otogakure as much as possible, keeping an eye on the healing Demon and relaying his progress to Kakashi and his group. However about 9 years ago, Orochimaru was powerful enough to see her for her betrayal and kick her out officially. He started the war soon after.

The last to show up was Itachi. Kakashi had relied on his help during the last war, before his father died and he assumed his role as village protector. Itachi had trained with Kakashi under his father so they had been close their whole lives. Itachi had connections with Konohagakure. 

“I’m sure you all are wondering what I’ve asked you here for.”

“I’m not wondering that,” Obito started arms crossed.

“Yeah, I’m sure you need help, again, with something stupid like the war going on in your backyard,” Anko finished, elegant and empathetic as always.

“Well, I would like to prevent a bigger war actually. I wanted to let you all know first, as my most trusted allies.” Everyone leaned in at Kakashi’s serious words. He wasn’t often serious, and normally it meant business.

“Well, out with it!” Rin looked excited.

“Orochimaru is dead.” Collective gasps rang through the woods. “I killed and buried him, with the help of my Partner.” Everyone looked confused but allowed Kakashi to continue. “You know what that means.”

“A power grab,” Tenzō said. “This could get ugly.” Everyone nodded. There was another faction of Demons called the Akatsuki who would take the village and use their new power to start a war. Orochimaru was a peripheral player in their ranks, preferring to work alone luckily. They were still very dangerous without Orochimaru, but because of his distance from them, they probably wouldn’t know about his death immediately.

“The Akatsuki will be swift to try and lay claim. What can we do?” Itachi asked. He was currently a spy in the Akatsuki for their group, or Kakashi hoped. Itachi was always very good at acting, but he trusted him deep down. 

“I called you all here because I hoped one of you would take up the mantel. I’m not sure it makes sense for Itachi to take it.” Itachi nodded.

“They would be suspicious if I suddenly had a village but didn’t try to take over more for them or convert the citizens.” Kakashi was glad for Itachi’s agreement. It went unsaid that the villagers would surely suffer under the rule of the cruel Demons that made up that group.

“I also think that Anko’s snakes may be a little too close to Orochimaru for the citizens. They may mistake you for their evil past.” Kakashi gave Anko an apologetic look.

Anko just shrugged, “I really don’t think protecting a village is all it’s cracked up to be, do you?” Kakashi laughed, his injuries were still sore from his battle and he couldn’t help but agree.

“That leaves really no choice,” Obito spoke up, “Rin and I can’t bond with another… At least I’m pretty sure we can’t? So, it means Tenzō.” Everyone turned to the man.

Tenzō was, in his heart, a peaceful man. He was loyal and tried to be kind. Also, important, to Kakashi at least, he was a terrible liar. It would help Kakashi make sure nothing weird went down. He could trust Tenzō. They had been through a lot together.

Tenzō remained silent.

“Come on, Tenzō, what do you say? I’ll owe you one?” Kakashi offered. He really wanted to get back to his Temple before Iruka woke up. They also couldn’t let this go another day. It had to be decided. The other Demons would sense the power vacuum soon.

Tenzō let out a long, loud sigh. “I guess I didn’t have anything else going on.”

Kakashi smiled, eye taking its classic crescent shape. “You won’t regret it!”

They all went to the Temple in Otogakure next, teleporting to a secret point they used on the outskirts and running the rest of the way to the Temple. Kakashi and Tenzō walked in side-by-side. The other Demons stood back, waiting at the entrance like a trap would go off at any moment. Knowing Orochimaru, it wouldn’t shock them.

“He had a throne?” Tenzō looked unimpressed. It was a lot of work to change a Temple and the scrolls, but luckily, they had help. Kakashi called in the others, and they began their duty, clearing out all the scrolls pertaining to Orochimaru specifically and writing ones for Tenzō.

They removed the dais with the throne and Tenzō replaced it with a tree, it was a nice simple oak. It would live in the Temple and thrive, even without light or water. It would mystify the civilians, and the fact that it was a tree, something sturdy and non-threatening, should help the wary villagers feel more secure. That’s what Tenzō hoped at least.

The sun had finished rising when they finally finished writing up the new scrolls. Kakashi picked up the last one, the one that named their Demon and his lineage for the villagers. It read Yamato. “Yamato? What is this?” Kakashi asked, pointing to the scroll.

“I like it. I want it to be my name to these people. What about it?” Tenzō gave Kakashi a pointed look. Kakashi just raised his hands in defeat.

“Whatever you want, Demon Yamato.”

“Exactly, in MY Temple, Demon Hatake.”

“Now, now children,” Rin said soothingly and condescendingly, “Great Demon Yamato needs a Bride still.”

“The wards will provide a few days buffer from the other Demon’s, but yes. We need to get a Sage. I can bring mine, he’s very good.” Kakashi said, but then paused. They were at war still technically and kidnapping a Sage would look bad.

“Don’t worry, Kakashi, I got a guy,” Anko said nonchalantly. “I’ll save the day, as always.” And she walked away.

Rin turned to Kakashi and Tenzō, “we can just use the old Bride. She has already gone through the ritual, and Orochimaru has all the same elements as you, Tenzō. It would be faster. She will be unbound after his death. Just a simple ceremony, latching, and BAM, instant Bride.”

Of course, Rin was right, as always. They just needed to bring the Bride to the Temple, explain the situation, and have her and Tenzō latch. Kakashi leered at his friend.

“Will it be your first latching Tenzō, you old dog?” Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows. “I have some books that can assist you.” Tenzō created a wooden muzzle around Kakashi’s mouth.

Kakashi laughed, though no one could hear through the muzzle. He burned it away quickly, still giggling. Tenzō huffed.

Anko showed up less than an hour later with a man, he looked at them all confused.

“What is going on? Where is Orochimaru-sama?” The man was built, tanned, and tall with soft, orange hair and red-orange, kind eyes.

“This is Jūgo. Jūgo, your new Demon protector, Yamato. Yamato, Jūgo. He’s a Sage from Orochimaru’s time. Orochimaru’s dead by the way, Jūgo.” Anko said careless about her tone.

“Oh.” Was all Jūgo said, until he noticed the tree. He looked between the tree and Tenzō before saying, “you care for nature?”

“Of course, all demons care for nature, but I carry the rare wood element. I care for the trees and their inhabitants.”

“Orochimaru had the same element, and yet he seemed bent on destruction.” Tenzō nodded sadly.

Jūgo went on, “this is promising. I knew something big had happened when the tattoo faded. I felt free for the first time since childhood. I didn’t expect to be woken by another Demon kiss, but this result seems better.”

“See,” Anko said excitedly, “he’s a good one.”

“Jūgo, you must arrange for the Bride to come here. We need to latch me to the village. I promise you peace and protection if you’re village will allow me to take over this Temple.” Tenzou said, in Kakashi’s opinion, very regally.

“Sage’s are not normally tattooed. It is strange that Orochimaru kissed so many in your village. We would have avoided dragging you in, but transitions are hard you see.” Kakashi said to Jūgo.

Jūgo glared at Kakashi, “you are the protector of Konohagakure.” Kakashi nodded. “You killed Orochimaru.” Kakashi nodded. “You are placing Demon Yamato here?” Kakashi hesitated.

Luckily Tenzou jumped in, “I am not a pawn. I am just as strong as, if not stronger than, Demon Hatake, and if he steps out of line or tries to start a war, I will protect the village. We need to try and usher in an era of peace again. Do you think your compatriots will agree?” Tenzō ignored Kakashi’s balk when he boldly claimed that they were equal. It was probably true, but still.

“They will, Yamato-sama,” Jūgo bowed low.

“There is no need for such formality. We work together. Because of the tattoo, you will not be able to explain this to the masses, but there are new scrolls in the library for the other Sages and you can hint as much as you can. Let’s begin anew.” Tenzō finished, holding out his hand to Jūgo.

The man looked at the hand, shocked, but stepped forward and shook it, grip strong and proud.

The other Demons smiled. This would work. Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. “I will talk to my people, and we will set up real peace negotiations. I hope to see you there. You will be able to speak freely to Captain Gai.” Jūgo nodded at Kakashi’s promise. “Now, as much as I enjoy being able to see another Demon’s Temple for once, I have a date, if you don’t mind.”

Kakashi transported away.

Tenzō deadpanned, “I can’t wait to get this over with so he can never set foot in here again.”


	14. Latching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 14 warnings:  
> And so a mere..... +30,000 words later, we reach the smut. Hahhaha This chapter is basically porn with feelings! The Latching is vital though. I was going to just pull a teen-movie trick and skip writing the smut, but then I thought, why not write some reward for all the reading y'all had to do? :P Anyway, the warning is smut smut smut. BJs and penetration and FEEELINGS. ;)

It was well past dawn when Kakashi was finally able to transport back into his own Temple. He hadn’t realized how long his business would take.

“Kakashi!” Iruka exclaimed. He practically jumped from the table where he was eating an apple and stumbled toward Kakashi who had suddenly appeared in the center of the main room of the Temple.

Kakashi met Iruka halfway to the table and was surprised when Iruka wrapped him in a warm embrace, arms snaking around Kakashi’s neck, one hand going into Kakashi’s hair and the other tracing down his spine.

Kakashi purred into Iruka’s ear, “wow, what a greeting. Will you do that every day?”

Iruka huffed and rolled his eyes but didn’t relinquish his embrace. Kakashi moved his own arms around Iruka’s waist.

“Are you OK, Iruka?” Kakashi whispered it as he felt Iruka take a shaky breath, face buried in Kakashi’s neck. Iruka was very still. Kakashi nudged Iruka back a little out of the embrace, still holding his arms. Iruka was breathing deeply as his eyes met Kakashi’s eye.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kakashi asked, trying to sound comforting, but not sure how.

“I want to forget about it” Iruka started, “and you promised I would get a date last night.”

“Maa, Iruka-sensei, you see, there was a kitten that needed rescuing from a tree. It turned out the tree was rescuing the kitten.” Kakashi smiled at Iruka’s confused face.

Iruka knew that Kakashi was odd, but he couldn’t get distracted. He had business to attend to. He lowered the Demon’s mask.

“Well, don’t be late again,” Iruka whispered, inching closer to Kakashi’s lips. Kakashi breathed in through his nose as those plump lips met his. Ha wanted to tell Iruka that he didn’t have to do this. Just yesterday he was kidnapped and assaulted. This had to be too much.

But then Iruka’s tongue licked his bottom lip, asking for entrance, and Kakashi’s brain exploded. He couldn’t think of one other thought than how much he wanted to keep holding and kissing Iruka.

So, he didn’t think of anything else.

Iruka pulled Kakashi by the neck, walking backward toward the futon. Kakashi broke the kiss at that.

“Are you… sure? Are you ready?” Kakashi asked, he had a feeling Iruka would try this if he learned the danger of being unlatched, not to himself, but to the village. “You don’t have to; the threat is gone for the time being.” Kakashi didn’t want to lie and say the threat was gone entirely. There was still evil out there.

“Kakashi, I’m a grown man,” Kakashi made a face at the 18-year-old, “OK fine, but I’m old enough to know what I want. And I want you.”

The sentence made Kakashi’s head spin with desire. Did Iruka mean to say it in that tone? Low and sensual, or was he hearing things?

He must not have been, because Iruka summoned Kakashi to the bed.

Iruka looked determined as he stripped off his robe. Kakashi tried not to notice the bruising on his neck, pocking out from the bottom and top of the bandages. There was also some bruising on Iruka’s chest. How had he gotten that? Kakashi was suddenly nervous. Iruka was precious, and recent events had brought a whole new set of worries to Kakashi that he never experienced before.

Typically, brides were noble-born and honorable ladies who never experienced hardship or battle. They were content to stay in the village and stay safe. Kakashi never had to worry about one of them getting hurt, worse yet, he had also never felt such strong feelings for any of them.

Iruka beckoned Kakashi from his thought, grabbing his hand and pulling him down to lay on the futon and pillows. Kakashi knew Iruka was doing this because he had to, no matter how determined he looked. Kakashi knew that was probably the case for all his Partners as well, but it was bothering him this time more than any other. Would he be able to please Iruka like he did the women? He had never been with a man before.

“Technically, this is my first time too, Iruka.” Kakashi admitted. He figured that Iruka would probably appreciate the vulnerability. He always seemed most pleased with Kakashi when he was honest and exposed emotionally.

Iruka just rolled his eyes, “I know you’re lying; you’ve bedded countless before me!”

“Not countless, but that’s not what I mean. I mean… I haven’t been with a man, but, more importantly, I’ve never been…” How could Kakashi word his feelings. They were something new and unwanted. The Partner was supposed to be like a business partner, but Kakashi couldn’t separate his heart from his mind when he looked into Iruka’s bright eyes.

Iruka took Kakashi’s face in his hands and guided the man into a searing kiss. “We can figure this out together.” The statement was so kind and sweet. It didn’t help Kakashi in separating his feelings from what he was about to do.

Luckily for the Demon, Iruka started to take the lead. He pushed Kakashi’s chest until the man was laying flat on his back, sitting himself on the man’s hips. Iruka placed his hands firmly on Kakashi’s chest and started to gyrate over Kakashi. Though the heat from Iruka felt nice, Kakashi couldn’t help but be reminded of the previous brides in this position. Normally they were much more naked though.

Iruka’s determined look faded slightly at Kakashi’s smile. “Do you not like this? It… I wasn’t sure how to adjust it for a man on top.”

Kakashi cocked his head to the side. “Adjust?”

“Well, it’s just… it was the first move in the sex scroll…” That perked Kakashi right up.

“Sex scroll?” Iruka looked embarrassed, but he reached over to the side of the bed to procure said scroll. He had asked the guards to get it from Tsunade early this morning, he thought that he could study while he waited.

“No wonder all the Brides used that move,” Kakashi said absentmindedly as he perused the scroll. Iruka had moved to sit beside him, watching his eyes roam the tome.

“Umm… Any that… you know… tickle your fancy?” Iruka asked, clearly nervous but eager.

Kakashi snapped the scroll shut. He had done probably all the moves in there at some point. It made sense now why the Brides always seemed to have an order to their seductions. He was grateful that some of the tricks he incorporated weren’t there, he liked the surprised moans the women always gave him.

“The only thing that I want is you. I’m just… I want to please you, Iruka.”

Iruka blushed, mouth agape enough so Kakashi could see his cute pink tongue between his teeth. 

The feeling of a hundred butterflies flapping in his lower stomach distracted Iruka momentarily. Kakashi’s gaze didn’t faulter from his face. Iruka could see him breathing deeply, waiting. He was hesitating. Kakashi was all powerful, especially in his own temple. He could take whatever he wanted. Yet here he was, nervous and sweet and unsure.

Iruka reached forward. He had already saved his husband once, and he would save him now. He tugged at the robes covering Kakashi. They were the same he always wore in the Temple. White with “sixth” written on the back in red lettering. Iruka would ask later why his clothing changed from the black and green military uniform in the village, to the robes in the Temple. 

Right now, he wondered what was underneath it all. His fingers tingled and his torso felt like it contained a roaring waterfall as he pulled at the clothes. Kakashi got the hint and started to remove his robes. Iruka wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a slight tremor in Kakashi’s fingers.

Iruka’s heart pounded as he watched Kakashi. He couldn’t look away, Kakashi was so lovely. He finally removed the robe and threw it to the side of the bed. Iruka felt heat rise on his cheeks as he looked at the cacophony of scars and marks marring the pale skin of Kakashi’s body. He looked so strong, muscles thick, but smooth, efficient. Iruka couldn’t control himself as he reached out and stroked the cross scar slashed across Kakashi’s chest.

“Did it hurt?” Iruka whispered, eyes not leaving the mark.

Kakashi hummed in response. “But it feels great now.”

Iruka smiled, “I would like to make it feel even better.” Iruka felt bolder by Kakashi’s hesitancy. He felt powerful and he liked it.

He leaned forward and kissed the right tip of the cross scar. It sat right above his nipple; his hard pec twitched under his lips. Kakashi gasped.

The noise fueled Iruka, he felt like he would explode if he didn’t get more of this man. He had never felt like this before, it was like all this missing libido was suddenly unleased. He kissed his way up, past Kakashi’s clavicle, pausing on his Adam’s apple, it bobbed as Kakashi panted. Iruka’s hands dove into Kakashi’s hair, the headband he always wore got pushed off and disappeared into the pillows, forgotten.

Iruka scratched gentle at Kakashi’s scalp as he kissed and sucked along his neck.

“Iruka, Iruka, let me see you,” Kakashi begged. Iruka’s heart leapt into his throat and he unlatched himself from Kakashi’s neck.

Kakashi stared at Iruka’s lips as he lifted his head into view. They were plump and a little shiny with saliva. Iruka’s tongue poked out and licked them, wetting them even more.

“You’re eye.” Iruka started, hand reaching up to trace the scar that ran along his left eye. Kakashi was about to grab his hand to stop him, but Iruka continued, “it’s beautiful.”

Kakashi’s red eye snapped open. Iruka stared at it like it wasn’t a curse, like it was something to worship. The eye predicted Iruka’s movement, so he could have stopped him, but he didn’t. He watched as Iruka propped onto his knees and kissed above Kakashi’s brow, where he knew his scar started. He trailed kisses down it, and Kakashi closed his eye when Iruka’s lips made it to his lid. He didn’t open the eye again and for once it wasn’t because he was ashamed of the blood it had helped him shed, but only because it caused him to use too much energy.

“It’s as red as the roses that bloom in fall. It’s lovely.” Iruka said between the kisses. “I didn’t know you had so many scars. You are so strong to have survived so much. It’s beautiful.” Iruka mirrored what Naruto had told him all those years ago, hoping to make Kakashi feel good about the marks. He really did think they made the man look strong. Maybe he would be more kind to his own scar now.

Kakashi blinked as Iruka pulled away from his face. How could he make sure that Iruka got everything he ever wanted in this life and all the next?

Kakashi couldn’t think. He just stared at Iruka. He was perfect. No one had ever made Kakashi feel so whole.

Neither man had the slightest idea how it started, who moved first, but suddenly, they were wrapped in one another, mouths open and imploring, hands caressing one another all over, legs tangling together, hips gyrating against one another.

There were no more thoughts. Thoughts would only be distractions, and they couldn’t have anything detracting from the feeling of each other’s skin. Kakashi moved steadily down Iruka’s body, removing his underwear in one swift motion, Iruka didn’t have time to be embarrassed by his nudity before Kakashi’s mouth was on him, sucking and licking his hardening member.

“Kakashi!” Iruka panted, chest heaving, he had never felt like this before. Fire exploded all over his skin, he felt sweat drip down from behind his knees, but he couldn’t straighten his legs. He couldn’t move any muscles. All his blood left his limbs and all his brain power was focused on Kakashi’s ministrations.

Iruka thought for one second that it must be some Demon magic, making him feel so good. Even though Kakashi wasn’t touching anywhere but his dick, he felt the ghost of caresses all over his body. Was this how it always felt? No wonder his friends wouldn’t stop talking about sex.

Kakashi thought he was doing pretty well for his first blow job. Iruka was writhing like he wanted. The way Iruka arched his back was making blood go straight south. How was this man so sexy? His mouth was open and panting, his cheeks blushed red, it made his scar stand out stark white against dark skin. Every time Kakashi swirled his tongue Iruka’s eyebrows would furrow and his eyes would squeeze shut. He was so expressive.

Kakashi could tell that Iruka wouldn’t last long. This was probably the first time he had ever been touched by another, at least he hoped so. Kakashi had never felt possessive before, but the thought of anyone else making Iruka feel this way made him boil.

Soon Iruka’s hands were in his hair, he was panting, “Kakashi, Kakashi, Kakashi,” over and over like a prayer. The deity in Kakashi liked it. The horndog in Kakashi really like it. Iruka seemed close, so Kakashi was prepared when the dick throbbed in release, he swallowed down Iruka’s cum. It was obscene how much Kakashi enjoyed it.

Kakashi was basking in the afterglow of Iruka. Iruka was twitching slightly with pleasure, and Kakashi had moved his mouth to kiss all along his thigh.

“That was… amazing…” Iruka finally opened his eyes see Kakashi content, staring at him, head pillowed on his thigh. “I think I understand all the hype now.” Iruka smiled down at Kakashi, propping himself on his elbows.

“Good.” Kakashi pulled himself up to eye-level with Iruka.

“That wasn’t in the scroll.” Iruka said. It was true. There were no instructions on oral pleasure in the scroll at all. Iruka thought that was as shame because he had never felt so good before.

“I like it to be a surprise for my Partners. This was a new version of a very old trick for me.”

Iruka wrinkled his nose at the implications.

“Well, I suppose it’s your turn…” Iruka said, glancing down at Kakashi’s manhood with more interest than he thought he would have. Could he made Kakashi feel as good as Kakashi had just made him?

Kakashi grabbed Iruka around the waist and pulled him flush against his chest. They were spooned from Kakashi’s shoulder to his knee. Iruka fit perfectly spooned in front of him. Kakashi tried to ignore the feel of his cock pressed against Iruka’s firm checks. He wanted to ease Iruka into this, so he needed to resist his more primal urges.

“I wasn’t sure how to best… prepare for you.” Iruka turned his head as he said that and Kakashi lifted himself slightly to kiss the man on the lips before he started trailing kisses along the back of his neck and shoulders.

“I will take care of you.” Kakashi tried to sound like the protector he was. He really wanted to make this as pleasurable for Iruka as possible.

“Oh, well, I saw a note in the scroll about how Partners can prepare themselves. I found this oil in the first aid kit and… well, I used my fingers to try and… well prepare… But you are much bigger than a couple of my fingers, so I’m not sure I really did much at all.”

Iruka had been busy this morning while he waited for Kakashi. The admission made Kakashi’s cock throb and a strangled noise to escape him. Iruka had fingered himself in his Temple, on this very futon, for him.

“Do you have the oil still?” Kakashi managed to ask without his voice shaking.

Iruka reached behind some pillows and pulled out a vial with a cork stopper. Kakashi took the vial from Iruka and coated his own fingers before handing it back. “Let me test how well you did.” Kakashi trailed his greasy hand on Iruka’s round cheek until his index finger found its mark.

Iruka breathed deeply as Kakashi’s finger entered him. He knew the feeling now, since he had fumbled there earlier. It felt totally different from the Demon. Iruka thought it must be like how you can’t tickle yourself as Kakashi’s fingers made him start to sweat again.

Kakashi knew the first time was hard on the women, if his previous Partners had ever prepared beforehand, they never told him about it. He could only assume it would be equally as hard for a man. He prepared Iruka similarly, inserting his middle finger as well and using his limited healing energy to make sure the feeling wasn’t uncomfortable.

The first insertions were always where the women had had the most pain, so Kakashi learned long ago to try and make that moment easier. Iruka’s panting was making it hard for Kakashi to focus.

“You did great, Iruka. You feel great.” Kakashi whispered into Iruka’s ear. They were still curled up against one another as much as they could be to still allow Kakashi’s arm room to work.

Iruka felt fire burn from his toes to his neck at Kakashi’s words. His toes curled, and then Kakashi’s fingers did something his own could not and Iruka moaned loudly.

Kakashi’s eyes widened. He had curled his fingers slightly and suddenly Iruka was panting and moaning again. He smirked; confidence restored. He could make Iruka enjoy the latching as much as he was going to.

Iruka tried to cover his mouth with his hand, but he couldn’t stop the noises. He also couldn’t stop his leg from lifting and wrapping backwards around Kakashi’s thighs. Kakashi’s cock became painfully hard at the movement. Iruka was opening up for him, completely pliant. He added a third finger and Iruka’s hip thrusted backward.

He seemed ready and Kakashi was feeling impatient and hot with want.

Iruka wanted more too, and he knew where to get it. Iruka poured some oil into his hand and reached behind him, Kakashi saw the movement and removed his fingers, moving his arm out of the way of Iruka’s as he found Kakashi’s hard cock. He pumped it, coating it with the slick substance.

Once satisfied the organ was coated, Iruka positioned the tip at his entrance and moved his arm up, wrapping it from behind around Kakashi’s neck. “I want you.” Iruka said and Kakashi’s ears rushed with white noise.

Kakashi had to shift slightly lower down Iruka’s back to get the right angle, and he kissed and nipped at Iruka’s shoulder blade as he pushed himself past Iruka’s tight ring of muscle.

“Fuck.” Kakashi cursed, breathy between kisses, as he pushed himself in further. He brought his hand, still slick from fingering, around Iruka’s side. He trailed the wet digits down Iruka’s lower stomach, following the trail of hair down, down, down, until he was gripping Iruka’s member. It was already hard again. Kakashi felt proud when he was almost completely in Iruka and the man shuttered in pleasure.

Iruka’s leg was still hooked around Kakashi’s upper thigh, and he tightened his hold, pushing Kakashi even deeper. They both gasped. Kakashi tried to focus on all his tasks. He pumped Iruka’s shaft, kissed along his upper back, and thrusted languidly into his tight opening. As Kakashi sped up his thrusts, he opened his eyes to see the black scar marring Iruka’s skin. It reminded Kakashi of how hopeless he had been, and how Iruka appeared, shining and effervescing. He was beautiful then, and he was beautiful now, here, in Kakashi’s arms.

Iruka’s leg trembled and he brought it back in front of him, the movement shifted his ass to stick out slightly, his back arching and his legs pressing together tightly. He was in feeling-overdrive and on instinct or reflex, his body curled in on itself to try and curb the intensity of the feelings. It didn’t help, in fact, it made it worse as Kakashi could go even deeper in this position.

Kakashi was hitting something inside of him that was burning the skin right off his body. Kakashi’s hand brushed his tip just right and with each stroke the butterflies in this lower abdomen flapped more intensely than ever before. However, what was causing his toes to curl and his brain to get hazy, was Kakashi’s mouth. He was kissing up and down his spin, the nerves lit up with an intensity he had never know, but more than that, he was chanting Iruka’s name. Between kisses, Iruka could hear him, “Iruka, Iruka, ‘Ruka, ‘Ru,” he repeated it with every thrust. It was like a prayer.

“Kakashi, it’s too much, I’m...” Iruka didn’t have the words for what was happening to him, and he lost the ability to form words after that. Kakashi’s thrusting became more erratic and Iruka couldn’t hold it in anymore, he was coming again. Kakashi released his hold on Iruka’s dick after its final shutter and gripped Iruka’s hips with both hands, shifting their position.

He moved Iruka onto his stomach, his own knees falling to either side of Iruka’s thighs, hands lifting his hip slightly to keep the angle just right, without missing a single beat with his thrusting. Iruka was still on his high and all the nerves in his body were alive and signaling wildly with each thrust.

Kakashi’s grip on Iruka was hard, but not bruising, he wouldn’t let any more harm come to his Partner. The black scar was a shining reminder that Iruka was much, much stronger than Kakashi was giving him credit for.

Kakashi was losing his control. Iruka was so tight and the way his body was shuttering had Kakashi on edge. He lost control completely when Iruka moaned, wantonly, and his hand reached back to squeeze Kakashi’s thigh. Kakashi came harder than he ever had, and he saw stars dance across his vision. Iruka’s nails scrapping his thigh brought him back to the present.

He moved to pull out, but Iruka’s grip tightened and kept him still, kneeling behind Iruka, cock still burrowed deep and twitching. Iruka shuttered in tandem with the organ. It was quite possibly the lewdest thing Kakashi had ever witnessed in all his centuries on earth.

“You feel amazing.” Iruka managed to gasp out. It caused Kakashi’s cock to jerk, still hard and buried, and Iruka’s breath hitched along with it.

Kakashi huffed out a chuckle, “I should be the one saying that, Iruka. That was… I’ve never felt…” Kakashi stopped trying to contextualize what just happened. Instead he massaged Iruka’s back as he pulled slowly out. It was getting to be too much, even for a Demon.

Kakashi fell onto his back, completely spent, next to Iruka.

Iruka used one of the blankets to wipe as much of the cum and oil away as he could before throwing it off to the side. He then crawled up against Kakashi’s side, curling into him, using his pec as a pillow. It mirrored Kakashi’s position last night so perfectly he wondered if it was a premonition instead of real.

Kakashi stared at the top of his Partner’s head, his hand dancing along the black scar along his spine, thinking that perhaps he had died yesterday, because he couldn’t imagine a more perfect heaven than this.


	15. Afterglow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 15 warnings:  
> Probably could have made 15 and 16 one chapter... oh well! poor chapter organization is the only warning haha. This chapter was for those skipping the smut. You still get some feels here instead.

If Kakashi were to rank his morning with Iruka against all the other mornings in his life, it would win. It would crush the competition and put every other morning in such a shameful defeat that it would hardly have seemed like a competition at all.

The best part, in Kakashi’s humble opinion, was laying next to Iruka afterward. Iruka was resting his head on his chest, hand idly drawing shapes on his abdomen. Iruka was cuddled into his right side, their legs tangled together along with one of the blankets. Neither having the inclination to fix it.

Iruka was blushing and had a cute smile on his face. Kakashi grabbed Iruka’s wrist and brought his wedding band up to eye level. Iruka lifted his head to see what Kakashi was looking at. On the ring was the leaf symbol, and next to that, the henohenomoheji, his symbol.

Kakashi kissed Iruka’s knuckles. He breathed in Iruka’s scent and placed Iruka’s hand over his heart. Iruka didn’t stop looking up at Kakashi’s face.

“You know, you are quite handsome under that mask. Is that why you wear it?” Iruka asked, pulling upward, straining slightly to kiss his jawline. Yes, this was Kakashi’s favorite moment.

He sighed and replied, “a mystery is always more appealing.”

“A mystery? Kakashi no one can see you except Gai and myself.” Iruka deadpanned and went back to resting his head and drawing imaginary images on Kakashi’s pale skin.

Iruka felt the rumble of laughter and smiled to himself, not looking up. Instead he looked over at something glinting from under a pillow. He reached for it, lifting himself out of his comfortable position. It was Kakashi’s forehead protector/eye patch.

At first, Iruka wasn’t sure the band could be removed, he had never seen Kakashi without it. Then as they fell onto the bed, completely wrapped up in each other, Iruka accidently pushed it off (he wasn’t trying to remove it, he just was enjoying the feeling of Kakashi’s hair under his fingers). Kakashi didn’t seem to even notice.

Iruka remembers clearly kissing the scar from tip to tip across his eye. Kakashi’s face and body had scars and markings (a beauty mark on his chin that was quite alluring), and it was all so beautiful.

Iruka blushed at the memory, gripping the metal plate harder, finally looking down at it, trying to focus on something other than the memories of his husband.

“Kakashi, your headband changed,” Iruka said, handing the band over.

The leaf symbol was imprinted on the metal plating. “It means the latching is complete. I am completely the village Demon again.”

Iruka sighed, relief rushing over him like rain in a storm. Then he paused. If the deed was done, would Kakashi have need for him? He wasn’t sure how often the other Partners visited their Demon. Was Iruka now finished? His part played?

Iruka hovered over Kakashi’s face, looking down at him from a seated position. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to be left out in the cold. He had sex with Kakashi because he had started to like the Demon as well as needing to do his duty as the Partner.

Kakashi looked questioningly up at Iruka. “What?” He asked cautiously. The man above him had been through a very intense 48 hours. He wanted to tread carefully.

“Will you… Do you… what am I now?” Iruka couldn’t word his concerns properly. He just knew he didn’t want to be tossed aside after this.

“You’re the Partner.” Iruka continued to look down, unimpressed with that answer. “OK, I mean, you will have a position on the council, which you should definitely take, they could use your brain there, the old bats.” Kakashi smiled up at Iruka, but the sensei was like a wall.

“I meant to you.” Iruka said it lightly, so lightly, but Kakashi’s heart pounded harder than he thought possible at such a small sentence.

He was speechless. What was Iruka to Kakashi. Well, the other Partners generally left and went about their lives. Occasionally he would meet with them, maybe they would sleep together, since the women generally didn’t take lovers. It was taboo to sleep with a Bride, but it wasn’t against any rules for them to sleep with another human. The women could just never conceive. 

In fact, Kakashi didn’t really care if they married another human. He wasn’t possessive of the Partners normally and as long as it wasn’t another Demon and the ceremony wasn’t an attachment ceremony, it didn’t matter.

Kakashi must have taken too long in his thoughts because Iruka turned away, bringing his legs out of their comfortable tangle and curling into a ball holding his knees. “I’m not asking you for anything Kakashi, really.”

“No, Iruka, no. I’m sorry, look, you aren’t like my other Partners have been.” Kakashi started. Iruka scoffed.

“I know I’m a man. I understand if that made this difficult for you. I prepared myself mentally to go back to my normal life after this. I can do that. Don’t worry about me.” Iruka made to stand, but Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him down onto the bed on his back. Kakashi was now the one hovering.

“I know you are a man, Iruka. I never had such a hairy Bride before.” Kakashi smiled, hoping his teasing would lighten the mood. It did not. In fact, it made Iruka frown even more.

“I mean, sensei, I like it. I like everything about you. I liked what we did, I even liked when we argued, I liked when we smiled at each other in the town, I liked when you jumped in front of me and took a deathly blow for me, I liked when you glowed, I liked when you got chalk in your hair in class, but didn’t notice and all the students started giggling, I liked when you got chalk on your butt and didn’t notice even more. I like how your scar crinkles when you get emotional, I like how your voice sounds when you’re angry and passionate, I like how your stubble feels when I run my hand on your chin.”

Iruka blushed when Kakashi stroked his 2-day stubble. “I especially like the way you blush.” Kakashi brought his hand from Iruka’s chin, to behind his head, and kissed him chastely. “And I love kissing you. I would kiss you forever.” Iruka’s blush deepened as Kakashi kissed him deeper.

Iruka broke away after a moment, flushed, pouty lipped, pupils dilated. Kakashi really could look at him forever.

“That… that’s all very nice…” Iruka pushed Kakashi away a bit so he could sit up. “But what does that mean?” Iruka was looking for something specific. Kakashi wasn’t sure what, but he wanted nothing more than to reassure the man.

“I’ll be whatever you are willing to be with me. I can’t be seen or do much in public though.”

“You would see me again?” Iruka asked, innocently.

Kakashi actually laughed at Iruka’s words, taking them as a joke, “Iruka, see you again? You won’t be able to get rid of me.”

The shine in Iruka’s eyes as he smiled at Kakashi was greater than all the jewels above or beneath the earth. “I would like that. To see you again I mean.”

“Maa, Iruka, you may regret this decision.” Kakashi smirked mischievously.

“Oh, Kakashi, I’m sure I’ll find ways to remove you if I need. I have my ways. You’ll see.” Iruka matched his mischievous look, and Kakashi fell all over again. He kissed Iruka deeply, hand cheekily moving down Iruka’s body hoping to repeat their earlier activities.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 16 warnings:  
> No warnings! Just feels about past events a little, but mild.  
> This was my original ending, but as it obvious, I went ahead and kept going. classic.

Luckily for Iruka, he was just leaving the washroom, robed, when Naruto burst in the Temple doors close to dusk. The boy stopped when he saw the ghostly grey apparition next to Iruka.

“Iruka! Look out!” Naruto shrieked and attempted to tackle the ghost. He was stopped by Kakashi’s hand on his head. Naruto felt the cold hand press against him, squealed, and fell onto his butt.

“Naruto! What are you doing?!” Iruka scolded, pulling the boy up and checking if he was injured. Somehow with all the times the boy fell, he was never injured. 

“Iruka, there’s a Demon next to you.” Naruto said as if it explained anything. Naruto could be so dense sometimes.

“Naruto, did you forget who I’m married to? He can be next to me all he wants.” Kakashi looked over at Iruka when he said that. Excitement in his eyes. Iruka would probably regret saying that one day.

“Oh, right. It’s the grey one. Right. Sorry… Grey-Demon-Ghost?” Naruto shrugged.

“We are in the Temple of Hatake.” Iruka rolled his eyes, with affection, at the 8-year-old. Iruka wished he could tell Naruto the Demon’s real name, but he could at least do this and stop Naruto from calling him a color.

“Right, sorry Hatake-Demon.” Naruto wasn’t one for formality, so it was probably the best they could do. Iruka smiled at the silly boy and patted his head affectionately.

“What do you see when you look at him anyway?” Iruka was honestly curious. He had never gotten a chance to ask Naruto before and this new ability seemed to stem from the snake bite. He would have to grill Kakashi about it as soon as he could.

“Hmm… He looks like a grey blob on the top, with a weird lopsided spiky head. He was kind of black where his body is yesterday, but today it’s white. That’s why I got scared for you Iruka.” Naruto nodded at his brief description.

“You know, I bet the Sage, Jiraiya, he would love to hear what you know and maybe he can help you hone this new skill?” Iruka looked pointedly at Naruto.

“I mean, everyone wants a piece of this!” Naruto said as he flexed his little bicep. It made Iruka giggle. “Anyway, Iruka, I didn’t come here to talk about Demons. Haven’t we had enough of them?” Naruto looked incredulous.

“That is true. Can you give me just a little more time in here alone and then I will come right to the orphanage and we can play kick ball? How about that? Want to gather some of the others?” Iruka was happy to leave the Temple. It felt safe in the walls, but he really did like being out in the village. And he felt he could do so now that the latching was complete.

“Yes!!” Naruto yelled and leapt into the air, pumping his fist higher. Quick as a flash, he was out the door.

“What a promise, Iruka. Do you want me to come and help you win?” Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows.

“To cheat? I never cheat.” Iruka said with a huff, it made Kakashi’s heart pound a little. “Besides, they are children. I almost always win all on my own, or they make me referee, so no team has the advantage.”

“They won’t always be small and so easy to beat. You’ll change your tone then.” Kakashi promised.

“Kakashi,” Iruka’s tune became serious suddenly. “What happened to him? Will he be alright? The villagers are superstitious and if they hear about his ability to see Demons they may distance from him. More than they already do at least.” Iruka knew that Naruto could be a lot. He was loud and distractible and disrespectful. Most villagers looked at the poor orphan with a scold. He didn’t want them to get another reason to turn away from the boy.

“He was bit by a familiar. It eventually turns humans into…” Kakashi hesitated. He knew Iruka loved the boy and didn’t know how to word it. “Slaves.” He finished lamely.

“What?! How do we stop it?!” Iruka panicked and Kakashi rubbed his arm in a comforting manner, shaking his head.

“No, it’s OK. I stopped it. I didn’t know that an effect of stopping the process mid-way would be a pseudo-sight. But my dogs and I were able to extract the poison you couldn’t. It wasn’t in his blood, it was in his spirit.” Iruka’s eyes widened considerably. Kakashi thought it was an adorable look, but he also knew it meant Iruka was still very concerned.

“There is no need to worry.” Kakashi comforted, or he hoped. “It was how Orochimaru made such strong warriors. They were bit. They turned into… kind of like lesser demons? They have some demonic powers, like the Four.”

Iruka nodded. He never knew a human that could be so strong as the orange haired man or could hypnotize with a flute or had four arms. “That is a scary thought.” Iruka looked at Kakashi’s eye, considering the war they had been in. “Why don’t you do that?” Iruka asked it with a little fear in his voice.

Kakashi smiled softly at Iruka, Iruka liked the look of it, free of the mask and kind. 

“If it made you look at me with fear again, I would never do it again. To answer your question, I have done it. Long ago. It wasn’t my proudest moment, and the human hated me for turning them into ‘an abomination’. They killed themselves, and I decided I would never do something like that again. I can’t image the number that have been cursed or died under Orochimaru’s cruelty.”

“Being a semi-Demon doesn’t sound awful.” Iruka was clearly not getting it.

“Iruka, they lose all free will. They must obey the Demon who changed them. They may have more power, but it is at a high cost. They don’t have a human soul anymore. You are lucky.” Kakashi said it softly.

“Then thank you,” Iruka looked at Kakashi with shining eyes. Kakashi blinked, confused. “You saved Naruto from servitude, but more than that, you saved his soul.” Iruka hugged Kakashi close. He tried to pour his gratitude to Kakashi, for saving his little brother and himself, into the embrace. He quickly shook the thoughts of his own time with Orochimaru from his head.

He was safe now. He had Kakashi, and he latched the Demon to the village again. It would all work out.

“OK, I need to go meet up with Naruto or he will come back, and he won’t be happy with me.” Iruka smiled gently at Kakashi. The Demon made him feel comfortable and safe.

“When will you be done? I can meet you at your apartment tonight. I want to hold you throughout the night.” Kakashi said one of his favorite lines from Jiraiya’s work. It seemed to work on Iruka like it worked on the antagonist. Iruka blushed and looked at the floor.

“Of course, you can come over. My door will almost always be open to you.”

“Almost?” Kakashi teased.

“Well, we all need our own space sometimes.”

Kakashi nodded. He agreed in theory, but he wasn’t sure if he would need any space from the man in front of him.

“I’ll see you tonight then. Bedtime?” Kakashi winked, or so Iruka thought he did, with only one eye it was hard to tell… If it was a blink it was a very purposeful one.

Iruka kissed him anyway, tilting his head to make it more than just a passing, chaste thing. Kakashi twisted his hand behind Iruka’s head and pulled the man in closer. Honestly, this man was going to be the death of him. He would give up breathing if it meant he could always be kissing those pouty lips.

Iruka broke away when he heard a faint, but clear “IRUKA!” drifting in through the Temple door. He laughed with Kakashi.

“That’ll be Naruto. I told you he was impatient. I don’t have much time now.” Iruka turned quickly, knowing if he stayed in those arms, he wouldn’t leave them. He quickly put on a spare pair of cotton pants and short sleeved shirt on. Luckily someone had brought his actual clothes to the Temple this time.

Kakashi waved at Iruka as he jogged out the door. He smiled when Iruka chastised the guards for letting Naruto in in the first place and then thanked them before he dismissed them.

Kakashi thought about his responsibilities to protect the village. He thought about how his new neighbor would make his job much easier. He thought about all the time he had left with Iruka. He wouldn’t waste a second of it.


	17. Getting Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 17 warnings:  
> Hints of torture techniques for interrogation. Do we feel back for Mizuki? Nah. Also Asuma figures it out so there is mention of the attempted assault on our boy.

“So, are you ready to talk?” Asuma asked the prisoner. He was being incredibly stubborn. Asuma had put his best interrogator, Ibiki, on the task, but the man had only gotten snippets, mostly stuff they already knew from Naruto.

Mizuki just spit blood at Asuma’s boot.

Ibiki pulled Asuma out of hearing range, into the hallway. “He says he will only talk to Iruka.”

“That’s useless. You know that Iruka already knows everything.” Asuma also didn’t want his little brother involved anymore with this dangerous man. Iruka was doing well in the weeks following the incident, but he was a little skittish still, and Asuma didn’t want to open a healing wound.

“I don’t think it is necessary, I’m just letting you know. That is the only development. He insists. Maybe we can use it as leverage somehow?”

Asuma thought for a moment about that before moving back to the holding cell bars.

“I hear you will talk to Iruka, but you know he cannot tell us what you say. Now what use would that be?” Asuma began, hoping he could trigger something by discussing Iruka instead of trying to get them to meet. “Besides, it’s impossible now. I’m not sure what changed, but Iruka can’t leave the village and you know the prison is just outside the boarder.” Mizuki’s head snapped up at that.

“The innocent flower finally put out, did he? Took long enough. He probably loved it and is a little whore by now.” Mizuki sounded so bitter.

“So, the reason he could be taken from the village was he hadn’t consummated the marriage?” Asuma didn’t want to think about it too hard but needed answers. “That means he is safe now.”

Mizuki rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything more. Asuma’s mind was making connections a mile-a-minute. “But why would taking him to Otogakure bring you power?”

Mizuki snorted, “you really don’t know anything about the Bride? Nothing of how the Demons work? You’ll make a terrible Leader once that old man croaks. I would have been such an improvement.” Mizuki sounded a bit unhinged.

Asuma left him after that, he got all he could. Jiraiya should be able to help at this point.

\--

Asuma found Jiraiya in the priest’s house just off the Temple’s left flank.

“Ah, General Asuma! Good to have company. It seems more and more often, Iruka wants the Temple vacated. I decided to move most of my work out here just in case I get kicked out suddenly.”

Asuma didn’t want to think about what that meant with the knowledge Mizuki let slip. The previous Bride didn’t do that.

“Anyway, Jiraiya-sage, I need to know about how the Bride ceremony works and how the Demon is involved. I’m afraid my religious studies are very rusty.” Asuma said calmly, trying not to give away his real reasons for asking.

“Of course! Well, to be brief, as I’m sure you are a busy General with the upcoming peace talks!” Jiraiya looked very pleased that there was going to be peace. He had heard about the new Demon protecting Otogakure and it seemed incredibly promising.

“Well, we pick a virgin, someone pure, to enter the ceremony. They are prepared to be an avatar, if you will, of the village itself. Then the Demon latches to the avatar, promising to protect the village and in turn, getting some protection and extra power in the village for itself. It is symbiotic in a way. Our demon has been very hands-off compared to some others. We don’t have as many texts on Hatake or as many people in direct contact with him. I heard Otogakure’s previous Demon kissed many of the villagers and even empowered some? I image Hatake-sama doesn’t do that for noble reasons. Watching Iruka and Gai when they choke on their words makes me happy that I can discuss freely with you what I know.”

Asuma nodded at all this information. “So, just to be clear, the ceremony made the Bride an avatar for the village, but then the demon has to claim this avatar?”

“Latching. The texts translate to making an attachment technically. But yes.”

“So, what if, say, a Bride didn’t “latch” right away?” Asuma tried to make it all sound clinical, but Jiraiya wasn’t stupid. He probably would make the connection.

“There isn’t much written about that. It’s never happened before. But technically, theoretically, the Bride would be available for latching until a demon finished the ceremony. But the ceremony makes the Bride safe from any attack. A Demon can’t hurt them purposefully.”

“But they could coerce him… I mean… the Bride…” Asuma couldn’t think about anything but the rapid connections being made in his brain. “Oh damn.”

Jiraiya didn’t have time to stop him or say anything more before Asuma rushed to the orphanage. It was the last place he had seen Iruka. He had to go to him.

Asuma found Iruka playing with the kids. He marched through the game, pulling a shocked Iruka into a bear hug. “Iruka, I know you can’t say anything, but I’m so sorry for what you have had to go through. I think I figured it all out.”

“Asuma,” Iruka said softly, patting the large man on the back. Kakashi was just across the street with his dog, his eyebrow raised at the rare show of affection from the large General.

“You weren’t latched. The ceremony wasn’t complete. Mizuki was going to use you to change our Demon to... I… I’m so grateful it was stopped… He was stopped before… I’m sorry I didn’t do more to protect you.” Asuma squeezed Iruka hard before letting him go completely.

“Asuma, don’t do that.” Iruka said, wiping tears from the edge of his eyes, then scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “You didn’t know. I didn’t know. If you blame yourself, I’ll be mad at you. It’s all OK now.”

“Is it?” Asuma looked skeptical. 

“The village is safe.” Iruka smiled brilliantly, eyeing something across the street shyly.

“That’s good, but are you OK Iruka? We can get you help, to talk to someone, if you need.” Asuma laughed as Iruka gave him an incredulous look. It was so Iruka. “Fine, fine. But it’s OK now, right? I can let Dad know it’s fine now officially?” Asuma had a look in his eye that screamed he would still be extra protective of Iruka for a long while yet. Iruka tried not to roll his eyes at Asuma.

“I am OK. Tell Hiruzen-sama I’m OK. If I could talk to someone about it, I would, but…” Iruka stuck his tongue out, displaying the tattoo, counsel was probably impossible for him.

Asuma nodded at Iruka. “Maybe you shouldn’t be at the peace talks, just in case.”

Iruka’s eyes narrowed, “now I won’t hear any of that! I’m a part of the council. I’ll be there! You’ll just have to make sure everything is safe.” Iruka teased. As Partner, Iruka technically had a higher position than Asuma as General. It seemed silly that at peace talks, but that was their law. The Partner was the proxy for the Demon who was head of the military technically. Iruka ranked higher than Asuma, but he would never use that unless Kakashi demanded it.

Asuma huffed and pouted, it looked silly on the large man, but Iruka was used to it.

“Hey! Asuma! You either join the game or get off the field! We were winning!!” Naruto yelled loudly and rudely at Asuma.

Iruka just laughed and shrugged. “You are interrupting a great game.”

Asuma left, he felt such an amalgamation of emotions. He was happy Iruka was safe, relatively, but was still reeling at his new knowledge. He wasn’t sure he could tell his father what had almost happened to Iruka. He steeled himself, preparing for the conversation. He knew it was best to just rip the band-aide off. He would go now.


	18. Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my submission for Day 2: Arranged Marriage/Folklore for Naruto Week 2021!  
> There are some very important things in the notes so please pay attention!!  
> TW/CW: This story contains threatened non-con. There is no rape and the only non-con is a kiss and a face lick, but attempted coercion into sex is a thing in here! If this is a trigger for you, please do not read, it is intense. I will label the chapters if you want to try still, but honestly, it's pretty important to the plot, so it would probably be best if you avoid the whole thing. I'm sorry!!  
> Otherwise, there is canon typical violence and shenanigans. The Explicit rating is for a very explicit sex scene, consensual and loving though!!! But fair warning, it's real detailed... I will label the chapter appropriately.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!
> 
> Chapter 18 warnings:  
> Only that it's over! Thanks for reading y'all!!! <3

As a sign respect and trust, given their recent kidnapping attempt, Jūgo had convinced the Leader of Otogakure to conduct the long-term peace negotiations in Konohagakure.

Their Leader was upset with the news of the kidnapping. Nagato was a peaceful man himself. He didn’t want this war in the first place. He knew his General, Yahiko, felt the same. However, Yahiko was at the mercy of the old Demon. When Yahiko’s tattoo disappeared so suddenly his first instinct was to run to Nagato and explained that the Demon was forcing him to plot and plan the battles. The demonic creatures he created were too powerful to stop and only listened to direct orders from the Demon. He was made to make up things about Konohagakure to justify continuing the war to Nagato and the council while those monsters wreaked havoc.

If that wasn’t enough, the Demon had been holding their oldest friend and the Bride, Konan, prisoner. He promised he would make his minions hurt her unless they started and maintained the war. Once Nagato knew all of what was happening, and Konan and Yahiko breathed free air again, they contacted Konohagakure to plan serious peace negotiations. When Jūgo came to them with a similar message, redacted due to his new tattoo, they knew they could usher in a new era of peace.

Konan agreed to latch the new Demon, once she was kissed and talked with him. She gave her two best friends her blessing to go to the peace talks and the two men knew that meant that Yamato had approved as well.

Jūgo was the first one in the room. He noticed the Demon first. It was Kakashi. He was standing next to a man with a scar across his face. When he entered the room, the man with the scar looked at Kakashi, who nodded at him.

Jūgo walked over to the scarred man, “you must be Captain Gai.” Kakashi laughed loudly, only the scarred man and himself seemed to hear him.

“That it our Bride, Iruka, Umino Iruka.” Iruka made a face at Asuma.

“You know I prefer you say Partner, General Asuma,” Iruka glared. It was most unusual. Jūgo didn’t expect a male bride, and a rude one at that.

“I apologize. I was… informed… I could speak freely to Gai.” Jūgo managed. Iruka was surprised he was able to say so much. Iruka would have to learn more about how to manipulate this whole tattoo business better.

“I am Captain Maito Gai! It is a pleasure. You, Iruka and I should speak after this meeting.” Gai put his large hand on Jūgo’s shoulder in a friendly manner. It was also very intimidating from the tall, muscular man.

The Leaders and Generals were greeting one another while this was all going on, and soon the meeting began. Everyone took their seats.

Iruka would occasionally nod or shake his head to convey whether Kakashi agreed with a point or not. He didn’t have to do much, as the treaty was already written up before this meeting, and just minor editing and signing was required at this point.

The agreement stipulated minor reparations from Otogakure, as they started the war, but generally the terms were very lenient. They agreed to bring the outer boarder back to its original placement. Before they signed, they allowed for the Demons to interfere.

Iruka smiled at Kakashi, who smiled back before disappearing. He had his own meeting with Tenzō. He would inform the Demon of the minor changes and make sure it was to his liking as well. Jūgo was supposed to be the representative for the Temple of Yamato since the Bride couldn’t leave the village. Kakashi assumed Jūgo would have said something if the final terms weren’t OK, but Kakashi would quickly determine that and get back to the room to give the “Demon’s approval”.

Tenzō was happy to see Kakashi, for once. They met at the memorial stone again. Kakashi filled him in on all the changes, mostly minor disputes on the exact location of the outer boarder and the exact price of the reparations. Tenzō nodded at the changes, giving his consent. Kakashi would chat with him later, he wanted to get back in a timely manner. Iruka had become a good influence on him after all. Tenzō approved of this new Bride.

Kakashi reappeared after only a few minutes, right beside Iruka. The bride bore the Demon’s mark after their latching, so he could always appear at Iruka’s side in an instant. Iruka wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but it was useful in times like this. Kakashi nodded to Iruka, who indicated to the Leaders that they could sign.

It felt amazing. The peace treaty was finalized. Iruka smiled. In his own way, he had helped the villages get to this point, and his heart swelled with pride. He thought about his students and the children in the orphanage. There would be no more war orphans.

Iruka wiped a tear from his eye. He hated to cry in front of all these powerful people, but they were busy celebrating, not paying him any mind. Kakashi was at his side though, taking the seat Gai just left.

“Are you Ok?” Kakashi asked. “I can get us out of here if you need!”

Iruka laughed lightly, responding in a whisper only for Kakashi, “I’m just happy. Thank you.” Iruka squeezed Kakashi’s hand under the table. He smiled fondly at the Demon. They did this. It may have been a mistake, an unintended consequence of his ceremony and his temper, but the result was better than anything Iruka could have hoped for.

“You deserve to have your dreams come true.” Kakashi said. It made Iruka smile wider. Was a Partner supposed to feel this way? He didn’t really care about precedence anymore. He couldn’t deny his fluttering heart even if he was ordered to.

He would tell Kakashi one day soon, he would tell the Demon that he wanted to be near him all the rest of his days, no matter what was traditional. Right now, he was expected to schmooze. He got out of his seat and joined in the celebrations.

Kakashi watched Iruka move away from him, a bright unencumbered smile gracing his features as he slinked into the throng of the most powerful people in two of the most important villages in the world. Kakashi vowed he would spend every day, every moment, making sure Iruka always smiled like that.


End file.
